In the Community·Computer Interaction Lab, led by Dr. Austin Toombs, we study how technology shapes the ways people connect, support each other, and build community. We look closely at everyday interactions (online and offline) to understand what helps relationships grow and what gets in the way. Our work sits at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), Social Computing, and the study of digital communities.
How can technologies help people care for each other and stay connected in ways that feel natural, supportive, and human?
You can follow us on Bluesky at @c-cilab.bsky.social.
If you’re a prospective student, please see my short note about contacting potential PhD advisors.
research threads
everyday care, support, and relationships
A major part of our work explores how people use technology to care for one another in small, subtle ways. We often use the phrase “everyday care” in help us focus on the mundane, tacit, or implicit caring interactions like checking in, keeping up with each other’s lives, sharing small updates, or finding creative ways to offer support without making that support look too obvious.
We ask questions like:
- How do apps and platforms help (or fail to help) people show everyday care?
- How support groups (formal or informal) use technology to stay connected and take care of each other?
- How do people maintain friendships, romantic relationships, or community ties through digital tools?
Our ongoing NSF HCC Small grant fits within this research thread. More details through IU and on the NSF page for this project.
small group interaction design (SGIxD)
Most technology is built with either individuals or large groups in mind. But many of our most important relationships happen in small groups—families, friendship circles, support teams, gaming squads, or other tight-knit communities.
We design and study technologies that:
- help these small groups stay connected,
- share responsibilities,
- coordinate activities,
- and support each other in ways that feel natural and human.
We think small groups deserve more attention than they usually get in UX and HCI.
communities that form by chance (or by algorithm)
Not all communities are planned. Some arise because people happen to show up at the same time and place or because a platform’s algorithm places them together. We find these “accidental” or loosely-bounded or algorithmically-defined groups fascinating. Groups like:
- new parents who meet through childcare groups,
- gamers who run into the same players online,
- neighbors who connect through local apps,
- or online communities formed through recommendation systems.
These groups can tell us a lot about what helps people feel connected, included, and supported, whether online or face-to-face.