Hello UXSG members! I am Natali Carmona Guzman, the 2023-2024 membership coordinator for the UX Student Group at the SJSU iSchool. I am in my third semester at SJSU and looking forward to working with the club for the next few years.
My background has always been in libraries. During my undergraduate studies, I worked as a student library assistant at a university library.
I fell in love with being able to help students with research and reference services. I learned that the library was more than just a place for books but a resource to help students succeed during their undergraduate/graduate studies.
I am passionate about assisting first-generation students because, as a first-generation Latina myself, I understand the struggles and challenges students face.
My research interest are on how we can better serve the Latinx community within academic libraries. In Steven Tash’s INFO 200 course, I looked into the barriers the community faces when searching for information. Latinx individuals struggle using everyday technology because of lack of educational resources.
As a student library assistant, I noticed many student’s did not know how to navigate library databases for research. Many of those students were Latinx or BIPOC. My goal is to teach students on how to navigate everyday technology to get the most out of their education.
I am new to the world of UX/UI. I have always loved emerging technologies, primarily because, as a library assistant, I have helped patrons feel comfortable using technology.
At SJSU, I have not taken a proper UX course, but I did an internship for Dr. Chow’s INFO 298. The class taught me about user experience, research, and virtual reality. That experience made me realize there are different ways to incorporate technology into everyday learning.
As a future researcher and educator, I aim for students to find their “perfect” way of learning, whether that is creating a virtual reality room for a presentation or taking virtual field trips around the world. Finding new ways of teaching and learning in education is essential because we are constantly evolving.