Hi! I'm Julien

I'm a creative technologist. I'm currently in my 5th year pursuing a PhD Student in the Robotics & Reality Lab at Dartmouth College, advised by Prof. Devin Balkcom.

I've taken circuitous path getting to this point - since graduating from Dartmouth in 2015 with a computer science major and education minor, I've worked as an software engineer at a large tech company (Microsoft) and small farming-technology startup (Grove Labs), and then as a high school teacher (The Winchendon School). In 2019, I returned to Dartmouth to pursue a PhD in Computer Science.

My research interests lie primarily within the field of Human-Computer Interaction, incorporating elements of robotics, wearable devices, computer vision, and generative AI. Most of my current projects are focused on human motion teaching, flipping learning-by-demonstration on its head by using computers to teach us how to speak sign language, dance, and do yoga.

I'm passionate about bridging the gap between the quantitative, logical world of computers and the rich, messy, beautiful nature of our lived experience. In my work, I seek to use technology to help us connect more deeply with our bodies, our creative nature, that inner spark that makes us human - and then support us in sharing that with others. I envision a future where technology supports us in being the best, happiest versions of ourselves.