Shloka - Culture for Climate Action
Ethnographic study exploring how cultural narratives can drive climate action through gamification.
View Case StudyHi, I'm Sai 👋
UX Researcher crafting insights that drive product innovation
I'm a PhD candidate at UC Santa Cruz specializing in mixed-methods research. I transform complex user behaviors into actionable insights through qualitative and quantitative research methods.
60+
User Studies
20+
HCI/AI Publications
3
Fortune 50
Internships
Internships
1
Patent
Featured Projects
Exploring the intersection of culture, technology, and human behavior through comprehensive UX research
Religious Inclusivity in Games
Digital ethnography analyzing 10,000+ Reddit posts to understand religious representation in gaming.
View Case StudyGame Play Reflection Systems
Design-based research developing visualization systems to enhance learning in educational games.
View Case StudyAstraVerse Character Design
Visual ethnography and co-design study creating culturally-sensitive game character frameworks.
View Case StudyFacebook Home Redesign
Generative research at Meta identifying user needs and prototyping 21 new experiences.
View Case StudyRobotic Fleet Management
End-to-end UX research streamlining robot deployment, reducing setup time by 12 hours.
View Case StudyExperience
Building user-centered products at leading tech companies and research labs
Microsoft (Xbox)
UX Research Intern
Jun 2024 - Sep 2024
- Conducted 13 usability studies on parental controls, identifying key pain points in family gaming experiences
- Developed strategy to unify 6 disparate parental control endpoints into a single streamlined application
- Created taxonomy of mental models that influenced Xbox's family safety roadmap
GUII Lab, UC Santa Cruz
Graduate Research Assistant
Sep 2021 - Present
- Led 10+ user studies establishing design frameworks for cultural elements in games (, CSCW)
- Conducted mixed-methods research with 500+ participants using surveys, interviews, and statistical analysis
- Published 15+ papers in top-tier conferences on game UX and player behavior
Meta
UX Research Intern
Jun 2022 - Sep 2022
- Conducted generative research for Facebook Home, interviewing 12 users to uncover 4 major expectations
- Facilitated 18 co-design sessions validating design hypotheses with diverse user groups
- Prototyped 21 new experiences that shaped Facebook's home feed strategy
Invento Robotics
R&D Engineer
Jun 2020 - Mar 2021
- Executed 17 contextual inquiries identifying 6 critical bottlenecks in robot deployment workflow
- Redesigned fleet management portal through card sorting and IA optimization
- Reduced deployment time by 12 hours and increased fleet health by 34%
Publications
First Author Research contributions to HCI, games, and user experience