Human-Computer Interaction Researcher

Aging and Accessibility

Dementia and Cognitive Diversity

Social Computing

Financial Technology

My research in HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION (HCI) explores how technology can be designed for underrepresented user groups, including older adults and those with complex communication needs, to overcome everyday challenges and improve quality of life.

Selected Projects

Supporting older adults in online banking
Enriching social sharing for the dementia community
Promoting eHealth literacy

Academic CV

Awards

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship 2023-25

EPIC‑AT Postdoctoral Fellowship 2023-24

Mitacs Accelerate Internship with the Bank of Canada 2022

Wolfe Chair Dissertation Fellowship 2021-22

FRQNT Doctoral Scholarship 2019-22

Degrees

Ph.D. in Information Studies, McGill University

Master of Information Studies, McGill University

B.Sc. in Educational Technology, Shanghai International Studies University

News

2025:

MAR: interviewed by students from SCIE300 Communicating Science
MAR: guest lecture for CPSC444 Advanced Methods for Human‑Computer Interaction
MAR: receive UBC Postdoctoral Fellows Travel Awards
JAN–FEB: two papers accepted at CHI’25 and two papers accepted at CSCW’25

@CHI'24 in Honolulu @CHI’24 in Honolulu

2024:

NOV: collaborate on a newly awarded AGE-WELL grant with Joanna McGrenere and Vered Shwartz
OCT: co-organize a fintech workshop at ASSETS’24
MAY: serve on the ASSETS’24 Program Committee
MAY: attend CHI’24 in Honolulu
MAY: present at the AGE-WELL EPIC Conference
APR: speak at the Thesis Finishers’ Roundtable, McGill Writing Centre
FEB: attend the DFP Hackathon at the University of Victoria

2023:

OCT: attend the AGE-WELL annual conference in Toronto
SEPT: serve on the CHI’24 Program Committee
SEPT: awarded an EPIC-AT postdoctoral fellowship
JULY: join UBC CS as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow

Selected Publications

Tanprasert, T., Dai, J., Tang, J., Inkpen, K., Cutrell, E., and McGrenere, J. (2025). FamilyDittos: Reimagining intergenerational interaction through mimetic agents. The 28th ACM SIGCHI Conference on Computer‑Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing (CSCW ’25), 29 pages. To appear.
Dai, J., and McGrenere, J. (2025). Envisioning Financial Technology Support for Older Adults Through Cognitive and Life Transitions, Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’25), 24 pages.
Smith, K., Sien, S-W., Dai, J., and McGrenere, J. (2025). Touching Experiences: How Older Adults Envision Ambient and Tangible Social Technology Through the Lens of Time, Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’25), 24 pages.
Liu, Z., Dai, J., Conati, C., and McGrenere, J. (2025). Envisioning AI support during semi‑structured interviews across the expertise spectrum. Proc. ACM Hum.‑Comput. Interact. 9, 2, Article CSCW011 (April 2025), 29 pages.
Dai, J., Gorman, B. M., Tigwell, G. W., Lyhme, H., Barros Pena, B., Moffatt, K., and Latulipe, C. (2024). accessFinTech: Designing accessible financial technology. The 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS ’24), 5 pages.
Tanprasert, T., Dai, J., and McGrenere, J. (2024). HelpCall: Designing informal technology assistance for older adults via videoconferencing. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’24), 1–23. [video]
Marino, D., Dai, J., Fortin, P., Henry, M., and Cooperstock, J. (2024). Co‑Here: An expressive videoconferencing module for implicit affective interaction. Proceedings of the Graphics Interface Conference (GI’24), 1–13.
Dai, J., Miedema, J., Hernandez, S., Sutton‑Lalani, A., and Moffatt, K. (2023). Cognitive accessibility of digital payments: A literature review. Proceedings of 20th International Web for All Conference (W4A’23), 116–121. Best Communication Paper Nominee
Sutton‑Lalani, A., Hernandez, S., Miedema, J., Dai, J., and Omrane, B. (2023). Redefining financial inclusion for a digital age: Implications for a Central Bank Digital Currency. Bank of Canada Staff Discussion Paper, 23 pages.
Dai, J. and Moffatt, K. (2023). Enriching social sharing for the dementia community: Insights from in‑person and online social programs. ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS), 16(1), Article 11 (March 2023), 33 pages.
Dai, J., Bartlett, J. C., and Moffatt, K. (2023). Library services enriching community engagement for dementia care: The Tales & Travels Program at a Canadian Public Library as a case study. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(1), 123–136.
Fontana de Vargas, M., Dai, J., and Moffatt, K. (2022). AAC with automated vocabulary from photographs: Insights from school and speech‑language therapy settings. Proceedings of the ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS’22), 1‑18. Best Student Paper & Best Artifact Award [video]
Dai, J., Moffatt, K., Lin, J., and Truong, K. (2022). Designing for relational maintenance: New directions for AAC research. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’22), 1‑15. [video]
Dai, J. and Moffatt, K. (2021). Surfacing the voices of people with dementia: Strategies for effective inclusion of proxy stakeholders in qualitative research. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’21), 1‑13. [video]
Pang, C., Wang, Z. C., McGrenere, J., Leung, R., Dai, J., and Moffatt, K. (2021). Technology adoption and learning preferences for older adults: Evolving perceptions, ongoing challenges, and emerging design opportunities. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’21), 1‑13. [video]
Dai, J. and Moffatt, K. (2020). Making space for social sharing: Insights from a community‑based social group for people with dementia. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’20), 1‑13.
Dai, J., Granikov, V., El Sherif, R., Grguric, E., Turcotte, E., and Pluye, P. (2019). Patient Information Aid: An innovative educational program to improve outcomes of online consumer health information. Education for Information, 35(1), 41‑49.

Contact me

: jdai24@cs.ubc.ca; X669 ICICS/CS; Department of Computer Science; University of British Columbia; Proud member of the eDAPT Lab led by Dr Joanna McGrenere