People

Natasha Mandi is a sophomore at the University of Southern California studying Media Arts + Practice and 3D Animation. She is interested in interactive spaces, visual media,  and the gamification of unlikely things. She has always been fascinated by the subtle manners through which technology is impacting our society and sense of self (in both positive and negative ways). She hopes to use AML to explore the ways in which technology can improve our complex relationship with human emotion,  ideally by increasing accessibility and interest in emotion and emotion-related topics by widening intended audiences of existing media, or creating new media. 

Dani Takahashi is a sophomore in Media Arts and Practice from Los Gatos, California. With a background in fine arts, she has learned the power of expressing identity and emotional connection through art. Her interests have grown to include 3D animation, motion graphics, and visual effects. She wants to help research how emotions play a role in media arts, as it’s crucial that not only her, but all creators understand this relationship between emotion and art in order to be conscientious and effective.

Student Research Associates Alumni

Kelly Chen, BA / Piano Performance with minors in Music Production and Future Cinema

Carey Crooks, BA / Cognitive Science and Media Arts + Practice