Cold Email Policy

I have one simple request for first-time cold emails:

If you want me to respond to your cold email, make sure I can read AND respond to it within one minute.

Otherwise I probably won't respond. It's nothing personal; I just don't have time to respond to every email.

There are only three exceptions:

• I know someone who knows you.
• You are from a professional organization that I belong to.
• You are affiliated with UCSD (see next section).

If you want to send me a longer email, the best strategy is to first send me a super-short email to see if I want to request more info.

If you are a UCSD student:

• If you'd like to chat about anything, come to my office hours or talk to me after class; no need to email!
• Please do not email me about course registration or scheduling logistics. Talk to Thanh Maxwell or Katy Schoeneweis (undergrad advisors), or Oura Neak (grad advisor). However:
  • If a course is overbooked and you are trying to get in, our policy is that we must prioritize students who fulfill all of the prerequisites and are on the waitlist. In those cases, I encourage you to look into other courses to enroll in.
  • You can always come to class to talk to me.
• If you're in one of my classes, please use the course discussion forum (you can send private messages there) instead of email.
• Do not email me about course grades unless there is an error. Each course's syllabus will have grading policies listed on it.
• I'm not currently seeking undergraduate students for my research lab; but I'm happy to chat in person if you'd like my advice on job opportunities in general (see first bullet point). Also check out HCI/Design Jobs for New College Grads