Jennifer Jacobs

Jennifer Jacobs is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Media Arts and Technology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and holds an affiliate faculty position in Computer Science. Her research focuses on developing computational tools and workflows that support personalized practice for professionals in art and design. By integrating system engineering, machine control, and computational fabrication technologies, she aims to combine emergent forms of computational creation and digital fabrication with traditional materials, manual control, and non-linear design practices. Jennifer has published scholarly papers in prestigious venues such as SIGGRAPH, UIST, and CHI and is a recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. from MIT, as well as art degrees from Hunter College and the University of Oregon.

• 2020–Present·University of California, Santa Barbara·Assistant Professor
  • Leads the Expressive Computation Lab, conducting research on developing computational systems and tools that support artists and designers. Her work merges digital fabrication with traditional crafting techniques, exploring the practical potential of technology.
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Stanford University Department of Computer Science
  • Focused on research in human-computer interaction and computational tools.

• 2010–2015·Massachusetts Institute of Technology·Ph.D.
  • Conducted research at the Media Lab with a focus on computational art and design tools.
• 2005–2007·Hunter College·Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
  • Specialized in art creation and design practice.
• 2001–2005·University of Oregon·Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
  • Major in art and design.