Kathryn Summers
professor
Division of Science, Information Arts and Technologies
Additional Roles:
director, D.Sc. in Information and Interaction Design
Phone: 410.837.6202
E-mail: ksummers@ubalt.edu
Ph.D., Texas Christian University
B.A., M.A., Brigham Young University
Kathryn Summers' current work focuses on making voting activities more usable and accessible through inclusive design for people who use assistive technology and people who do not read well. She has also spent nearly two decades focusing on making medical and other information easier to find, navigate and read on the Web for people with lower literacy skills. Finding and understanding medical information and information about government services can have a huge impact on people’s health and happiness, yet often those who are most at risk are poorly served by current approaches to Web design.
Summers has also done qualitative observational research supported by eye tracking measurements on how to make online forms, such as registration and medical assessment tools, easier to use for people with lower literacy skills.
Earlier work included collaborating with UBalt professors on a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to develop an intergenerational design team with faculty, graduate students and children. The School of Information Arts and Technologies KidsTeam, in collaboration with a team at the University of Maryland's Human Computer Interaction Lab, helped design interfaces for the International Children's Digital Library.
Summers directs the doctoral program in user experience research at the University of Baltimore, and she also directs the School of Information Arts and Technologies' User Research Lab. The Lab supports research activities for faculty, students and local businesses.