mina zavary

university of washington, seattle

university of washington, seattle

university of washington, seattle — magna cum laude

M. Zavary and S. Ghosh — American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)

K. Z. Mejia, C. Donaldson, M. Zavary and J. Turns — IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

primary researcher

• organized a study with two senior researchers, leading a directed research group with six undergraduate co-researchers to vibe code a project of their choosing, documenting and reflecting weekly throughout the quarter.
• presented a poster at the 2026 hcde research showcase; writing a paper with five undergraduate researchers as co-authors.

primary researcher

• conducted interviews with creators and users of grade tools for tracking, predicting, calculating, and visualizing grade data.

primary researcher

• led a directed research group of 12 undergraduate students and 4 collaborating researchers to explore how students interact with and interpret grades as data, through weekly diary entries and codesigned activities and discussions.
• guided undergraduate students through qualitatively coding their own diary entries, and interviewed an additional 7 undergraduates on their data practices around grades.

primary researcher

• co-led a directed research group examining foundational and contemporary texts on measurement and quantification.
• facilitated weekly discussions between faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students, encouraging critique of the methodological and conceptual frameworks in the readings.

researcher, led by phd candidate os keyes

• explored materials in uw special collections weekly, focused on how grades formed at uw in the 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, and early 2000s — grade inflation, the decimal grading system, non-traditional grading, and student and professor perceptions of grades.

co-led with phd candidate sourojit ghosh

• organized a quarterly research group series where hcde students codesigned education-focused resources, presented in engaging and digestible ways, working within the university of washington brand identity.
• interviewed instructors and marginalized students about their classroom experiences and leveraged those insights into design values.
• usability tested figma prototype screens, thematically analyzed the data, and iterated on the design.

undergraduate researcher, led by dr. calvin liang

• worked closely with the trans and queer youth advisory board (qtab) to codesign a sex education resource, empowering them to lead research that impacts their own health and well-being.
• created style guides, mockups, and wireframes in figma, ensuring qtab’s needs were prioritized throughout the design process.
• designed a high-fidelity prototype of a sex education tool that is effective, affirming, and accurate for transgender young people.

undergraduate researcher, led by dr. kenya mejia

• collaborated with a research team to design two codesign sessions between students and educators, aimed at identifying ways to bring about change.
• analyzed participant behavior and used the insights to inform design solutions.
• gained experience writing grant proposals and irb proposals.
• contributed to the writing and publication of a paper presented at the 2021 frontiers in education conference.

instructor — information school

instructor

instructor

instructor

co-instructor

instructor

co-instructor

teaching assistant

academic support programs, university of washington

• conducted field observations and interviews as part of the user research methodology to improve the coaching process for students and coaches.
• constructed surveys for over 250 students per quarter, analyzed the data, and presented results and recommendations to stakeholders.
• leveraged storytelling to build a brand identity, resulting in cohesively designed office spaces and student resources.

allstate — remote

• created polished high-fidelity wireframes, user flows, and prototypes to redesign the customer-facing purchase experience.
• designed intuitive conversations for the ai chatbot, successfully redirecting 55% of users to the correct flows.
• led the consumer journey team in iterative ux/ui design and communicated with cross-discipline stakeholders to ensure feasibility of new features.

washington bus — remote

• constructed the climate justice campaign and composed an actionable policy report based on research conducted by a team of 15 fellow youth activists.
• facilitated focus groups and listening sessions for 32 individuals and 8 local organizations experiencing climate change.
• organized phone and text banks to boost youth voter turnout before primaries.

recognizes 100 students across all uw campuses who are making the most of their time there.

awarded to one incoming phd student demonstrating commitment to promoting diversity and the advancement of communities of color through their work and scholarship.

recognizes students who have made significant commitments to promoting dei and justice through outreach, research, or coursework.

high honors, uw college of engineering.

initial review of 200 applications.

representative addressing priority dei needs within the department; also serving on the teaching subcommittee to improve inclusive classroom practices.

talking to prospective phd students about the program and my experiences.

initial review of 5–20 applications per year.

developed the program structure by recruiting moderators and participants, organizing training workshops, and curating group topics.

met regularly with the hcde chair, dr. julie kientz, to provide input into decisions affecting the department.