Natalie Herrmann

I'm Natalie Herrmann, a recent graduate from Illinois Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Computer Science. The intersection between psychology and technology, or cyberpsychology, is my main interest. If you're curious what this intersection may pertain to, one of my favorite TV shows, Black Mirror, presents interesting (mostly bleak) scenarios in this area. As I'm passionate about how people use and interact with technology, I aspire to develop my experience in UX and human-computer interaction.

There is a lot of potential in technology—it can be used to increase accessibility, engagement, convenience, and connections. But, it can also be overwhelming and addicting, inducing nomophobia or a fear of missing out. The way we interact with technology, and its ability to benefit us, or hurt us, is fascinating to me.

My interest in this area first sparked after my first computer science class, which emphasized that one must always consider the user when creating a program. I truly enjoyed taking a user-centered design approach, thus marking the start of my passion for the area of psychology applied to programming and technology.