Ramprabu Thangaraj

About Me

I’m a PhD student in Human-Computer Interaction at NJIT, advised by Dr. Alisha Pradhan. I study how older adults navigate questions around digital legacy, remembrance, and end-of-life planning. My research often involves co-design workshops and interviews with adults aged 65 and above. I’m also exploring how South Asian users express identity through digital media like emoji skin tone modifiers and GIFs, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to uncover user needs and co-design meaningful interventions.

Prior to moving to the U.S. for my PhD, I completed my Master’s in User Experience Design at Birmingham City University (UK). I also worked as a management consultant (healthcare and oil & gas supply chain optimization) at Ernst and Young LLP (EY) in India for over four and a half years. Before joining EY, I completed my Bachelor’s in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras- India).

In my free time, I like to volunteer/organize workshops for helping seniors and returning citizens with technology, write poetry (recently published my poetry collection), perform poetry at open mics, and play a few musical instruments (ukulele, drums, and keyboard). Recently, I started exploring acrylic painting, mainly still life subjects.