Professor Dr. Amy Hurst

Biography

Amy Hurst is a Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University Steinhardt. She also serves as the Director of the Ability Project, an interdisciplinary research space focused on the intersection of disability and technology. Dr. Hurst holds a PhD and MS in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a BS in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research is centered on assistive technology and interaction design, with a keen interest in how technology can empower individuals facing various social challenges. She employs qualitative research methods to analyze environments, design technology that fits within those contexts, and evaluate its effectiveness for target users. Dr. Hurst teaches courses such as 'Developing Assistive Technology', where students work in multidisciplinary teams to devise solutions for clients with disabilities, and 'Tangible Electronics Teaching and Learning', which merges theoretical and practical approaches to educational technology. Her work emphasizes the necessity of collaboration and innovation in creating impactful assistive devices and educational tools.

Research Interests

Courses