Christina N. Harrington

Christina N. Harrington is an Assistant Professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, also holding an appointment in the School of Design. She is the director of the Equity and Health Innovations Design Research Lab. Harrington’s research focuses on advancing health and racial equity through design, with a particular emphasis on historically marginalized populations such as Black communities, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. Leveraging her background in electrical engineering and industrial design, she explores the fields of inclusive and accessible design, utilizing community-engaged and design justice approaches to foster technologies that better serve society equitably. Her work has been published in top-tier conferences such as CHI and CSCW, receiving multiple Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mentions. She is dedicated to supporting underrepresented groups in STEM, mentoring first-generation college students, participating in community technology initiatives, and teaching computer science and design courses to young women of color.

• 2020–Present·Carnegie Mellon University·Assistant Professor
  • Leads the Equity and Health Innovations Design Research Lab, focusing on community-engaged design and health technology development to promote racial and health equity.
• 2019–2020·Data & Society·Research Fellow
  • Focused on ethical design and community technology initiatives, advancing studies in technology equity.
• 2015–2019·Georgia Institute of Technology·Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Conducted research in human-computer interaction and design, exploring how intelligent health technologies can serve marginalized groups.

• 2015–2019·Georgia Institute of Technology·PhD in Design
  • Focused on human-computer interaction and inclusive design, examining the application of design in advancing health and racial equity.
• 2012–2015·North Carolina State University·Master’s in Industrial Design
  • Explored the intersection of design, technology, and society.
• 2008–2012·Virginia Tech·Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering
  • Established a strong engineering foundation to support subsequent design research with technical expertise.