Rachel L. Kern
rachelk@media.mit.edu
Education  
9/04 - 6/06

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Media Laboratory   Cambridge, MA
M.S. in Media Arts and Sciences with the Speech Interfaces Group
received June 2006

  • Completed coursework in Speech Interfaces for Mobile Communications, Common Sense Reasoning for Interactive Applications, Affective Computing, Techno-Identity, and Tangible Interfaces
  • Research projects:
    • Monkey Business, a network of animatronic monkeys who act as audio-enabled agents, keeping members of a distributed group of people informed about each other's current state and level of availability in an informal and light-hearted manner
    • EMotoPhone/GalvaPhone, a cell phone application written in J2ME, enabling users to send animated emoticons of their own faces via cell phones to indicate their current mood, with different background colors to signify their current electrodermal activity
    • Topic Spotting Common Sense Translation Assistant, an interactive user interface that applies common sense reasoning to the problem of tranlating speech in real time from one language to another
  • Cumulative GPA = 5.0/5.0
9/95 - 6/99

Northwestern University   Evanston, IL
B.A. in Cognitive Science with Departmental Honors
received June 1999

  • Completed senior thesis research project on usability testing and redesign of an interface to help teachers implement new curricula in their classrooms
  • Minor in Computing and Information Systems
  • Significant coursework: Fundamentals of Programming in C/C++ and Scheme, Data Structures, Artificial Intelligence Programming in Lisp, Design and Analysis of Human-Computer Interaction, Statistical and Research Methods in Psychology
  • Cumulative GPA = 3.61/4.0, GPA in Major = 3.75/4.0
Experience
8/06 - present

Nokia Corporation  Burlington, MA      
User Interface Designer, Series 60 Browsing

8/99 - 7/04

MicroStrategy, Inc.  McLean, VA      
Senior Quality Engineer, promoted from Associate Software Quality Engineer

  • Primary point of contact for MicroStrategy Web product, responded to frequent web-related questions and concerns from Technical Support, Program Management, Engineering and Quality Engineering
  • Tested web and desktop interfaces, communicated defects to engineers, confirmed resolutions of defects
  • Created, designed and updated test suites based on features specifications
  • Critiqued requirements documentation and had input into the development of new features and revamping of existing features
  • Wrote and edited online help files, ReadMes and Release Note documentation
  • Worked with technical support staff to reproduce and resolve customer issues
  • Ran automated testing scripts using Rational Robot SQA
  • Specialized in usability, international and Section 508 accessibility testing
  • Knowledgeable about entire software development lifecycle, from design to implementation to testing to certification of new features
9/98 - 6/66

Northwestern University Technology Support Services  Evanston, IL      
Computer Lab Consultant

  • Assisted students in computer labs with software applications and networking

6/98 - 8/98

 

Lucent Technologies, Human Factors Group  Middletown, NJ                
Summer Intern in Business Communications Systems

  • Researched and documented a set of usability requirements for graphical and voice user interfaces of a prototype of a unified multi-media messaging system
  • Designed usability tests of the prototype, based on requirements, and performed pilot testing
  • Analyzed test results and wrote recommendations for enhancing usability
9/97 - 6/98

Northwestern University Psychology Department   Evanston, IL             
Research Assistant

  • Scheduled and conducted psychology experiments with student participants

6/97 - 8/97,
6/96 - 8/96

American Computer Experience  Atlanta, GA           
Computer Camp Instructor and Counselor

  • Taught BASIC, C, and HTML to children at camps located at Emory University, M.I.T., Georgetown University and Babson College
  • Supervised at camp activities, such as sports, swimming, meals and free time
Publications
Skills
  • Operating Systems: MacOS X, Windows NT/2000/XP
  • Software: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Visual Studio
  • Hardware: Soldering, basic electronics
  • Computer Languages: Java, J2ME, HTML, JavaScript, ASP, SQL, Rational Robot SQA, basic C/C++
  • Superior writing, editing and presentation ability
Thesis Project Press
  • Article in MIT Tech Talk, the official newspaper of the MIT community
  • Mention in Smart Mobs, a blog based on the popular book by Howard Rheingold
  • Mention in Turbulence.org, a research blog about network-enabled performance
  • Mention in InternetActu.net, a French blog about innovative Internet-enabled research
  • Mention in Regarde.org, a French blog about creative curiosities
  • Mention in Blog Pocket, a Spanish blog devoted to technology and cyberculture
  • Mention in Tendencias 21, a Spanish online magazine about science, technology, society and culture
Miscellaneous
3/02 - 7/04 Keyboard and flute player in DC area rock band, performed in several DC area venues, recorded 6-song CD at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, VA
9/00 - 12/01 Community Band, Alexandria, VA, flute section
3/98 - 6/98 Volunteer in Chicago Public Schools, assisted in teaching 5th grade class
1/97 - 6/97

Reporter for The Daily Northwestern, campus news section
9/95 - 12/98 Northwestern University Marching Band, flute/piccolo section, performed in the Rose Bowl and Citrus Bowl