Hi, I'm Josephine Hoy. I'm a graduate student in the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington. I am very lucky to be able to work with mentors and collaborators across departments and institutions, but my primary home is the Tactile and Tactical (TAT) Design Laboratory.
My work as a researcher and designer is motivated by a desire to help imagine and engineer emancipatory sociotechnical systems—technologies designed and adopted with enthusiastic consent by the individuals and communities who will live with them, with consideration and regard for future generations, all beings, and our world.
My approach to this work is also deeply informed by my experiences with theatre; I believe in the power of storytelling, immediacy, presence, and embodied imagination to invite possibilities and priorities.
"We create truths by describing, or by re-describing, our beliefs and observations. Our task, and the task of every artist and scientist, is to re-describe our inherited assumptions and invented fictions in order to create new paradigms for the future. " —Anne Bogart, A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theatre
Some of my other interests include: tending plants, Muppets, vintage computer architectures, hiking, bouldering, learning to speak txʷəlšucid, cooking, appreciating niche online communities, improv comedy, the Sims, film, reading (especially speculative/science fiction and poetry), and watercolor painting.
Before I began my PhD studies, I worked in a variety of design, operations, and product strategy roles in the tech industry. I'm always happy to provide networking connections or mentorship—especially for anyone who is marginalized and under-supported in the technology sector. Similarly, I always welcome opportunities to learn! Whether you're interested in research, career development, or organizing your workplace, I'd love to chat. Please reach out to me via email if you have something to share with me or think I can be helpful!