Nick LaLone

Nick LaLone

My work focuses on how people and objects get to know each other. I work in crisis response, human-computer interaction, and simulation, all through the lens of play.

Interested in Working with me?

As an academic on the tenure track, I am supposed to find PhD and Masters Students to help realize the potential of the work i’m doing (and maybe you’ll be doing!).

I currently have funding for a few PhD or Masters students and a few more undergrads.

My work falls into 3 distinct domains:

  1. Emergency Management
  2. XR or Extended Reality
  3. Integration and Training

For 1, I am a practitioner and our work in this space would begin with you working on your certification as an emergency manager (CEM) in the US. My work in this space encapsulates Computer Science Education, Human-in-the-loop systems, accessibility, and more. For 2, I work with the Niantic x RIT Geo Games and Media Research Lab on projects related to AR. This work encapsulates human-computer interaction, development for the metaverse, accessibility, and more. For example, we are getting ready to launch a new project on how the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities engage with augmented reality. Finally, for 3, I primarily am interested in making trainings for a world that currrently does not exist. This work will encapsulate studying roleplaying, low-code, no-code, and more.

At my core, I am someone who views technology as a necessary evil in disaster because technology has captured the attention of the consumer. I work on low code, no code trainings, design fiction, and other forms of design science. I will be the most vocal critic of technology in any room I am in because I want to see tech make life easier, not less safe. You will not have to adopt that outlook but your work will mostly be critical.

As a researcher in the iSchool world, I am a little unique. If you find yourself saying, “Oh, that’s interesting!” Then please send me an email. You can find my email here: https://www.rit.edu/directory/njligm-nicolas-lalone

Please know 3 things that I will ask you:

  1. What makes you curious about the world?
  2. Why do you want a PhD?
  3. How do you want to make a difference in the world?

I am not a big proponent of academic work for academic work’s sake. Most of our work will be part of a much larger puzzle and i’m happy to show you how and where those pieces fit.

While everything above is true, I cannot know everything. If you think you’ll fit with me, then send an email and let’s talk!