Experience
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (ESPOL) — Guayaquil, Ecuador | 2019–2024
Conducted HCI research using qualitative and mixed-methods approaches. Designed curricula for flipped-classroom courses in Programming (Python, Java, C++), Human-Computer Interaction (storyboards, wireframing, user stories, interviewing), and Game Design (ideation, game mechanics, playtesting).
Served as an elected member of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Council (2020–2023), overseeing administrative and academic decisions across 5 undergraduate programs, 2 master’s programs, and 2 doctoral programs. Provided guidance on the transition to online programs during the pandemic and the adoption of active learning methodologies.
Ph.D. Candidate & Instructor
Virginia Tech — Blacksburg, Virginia | 2014–2019
Designed, built, and deployed FamilySong — a networked music-listening system using Raspberry Pi, NFC, Node.js, and Docker — across 12 households over 3 years. Built a spatial audio prototype for side-conversations in video calls, integrating a DoubleRobotics Duo Robot, Sennheiser Ambeo VR microphone, MaxMSP, and Audinate Dante.
Graduate Teaching Assistant and later Instructor of Record for “Computational Thinking,” an introductory programming course for non-CS majors. Collaborated on course design, materials, and evaluation.
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (ESPOL) — Guayaquil, Ecuador | 2011–2014
Scoped and managed a $200,000 budget to establish a Virtual and Augmented Reality laboratory, including a multi-projector power-wall, motion-capture environment, and AR equipment. The lab was later expanded in 2016 to include rapid prototyping and 3D printing.
Co-led ESPOL’s Computer Science program to achieve Ecuador’s first international ABET accreditation, which has been maintained since and supplemented with EUR-ACE accreditation in 2023.
Research Assistant
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya — Barcelona, Spain | 2010–2011
Developed C++/Qt/OpenGL middleware to provide VR/AR programmers with flexible deployment across CAVEs, HMDs, and other clustered multi-projector virtual environments.
Education
Ph.D. in Computer Science — Virginia Tech, 2014–2019 Fulbright Scholar
M.Sc. in Computing — Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, 2010–2011 SENESCYT Scholarship (Ecuadorian Government)
B.Sc. in Computer Science — Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, 2003–2009
Skills
Methodologies: Interaction Design, Human-Centered Design, Qualitative Analysis, Mixed-Methods Research
Prototyping: Single Board Computers, Microcontrollers, Electronics, 3D Printing, Woodworking, Linux Administration, Cloud Computing
Programming: Python, JavaScript/Node.js, C/C++, Java, HTML/CSS