Skip to Main Content

Sarah Kuhn


Sarah Kuhn is a Professor in the Psychology department at UMass Lowell.
Sarah Kuhn, Ph.D.Professor
  • College
    College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Department
    Psychology
  • Phone
    (978) 934-4000
  • Office
    Health and Social Sciences Building - 3rd Floor
  • Email
    sarah_kuhn@uml.edu

Research Interests

Technology, society & human values.

Research and teaching interests include the effects of computerization on work, software, and engineering design.

Education

  • Ph D: Department of Urban Studies and Planning, (1987), Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: "From the Back Office to the Front Lines: the computer software development labor process in a changing business environment."
  • BA: Philosophy and Social Relations, (1974), Harvard University - Cambridge, MA

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Biographee, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, 9th edition
  • Biographee, Who's Who in America, 58th edition
  • Biographee, Who's Who in American Education, 7th, 8th editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who in Finance and Industry, 25th edition
  • Biographee, Who's Who of American Women, 16th, 25th, and 28th editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America, 2nd and 3rd editions
  • Who's Who in the World, 28th Edition
  • Teaching Award, Department of Regional Economic and Social Development (2005), Teaching - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Faculty Associate, Center for Women and Work (2004) - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • CAS Faculty Fellow, IBM Centre for Advanced Studies (2003) - IBM Toronto Laboratory, Toronto, Canada.
  • Fellowship, Radcliffe Public Policy Center (2000) - Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University
  • Teaching Award, Policy and Planning Department (1996), Teaching - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Fellow (1982) - Harvard-MIT Joint Center for Urban Studies
  • Nominee, Ida M. Green Award (1978) - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Bachelor's Degree Cum Laude (1974) - Harvard University
  • The Signet Literary Honor Society (1974) - Harvard University

Selected Publications

  • Dasgupta, P.S., Punnett, L., Kuhn, S., Moir, S., Buchholz, B.O. (2016) "Does Drywall Installers’ Innovative Idea Reduce the Ergonomic Exposures of Ceiling Installation: A Field Case Study", Applied ergonomics 55: pp. 183–193
  • Kuhn, S. (2016) "Fiber Arts and Generative Justice", Teknokultura 13:2 pp. 461–489
  • Dasgupta, P., Punnett, L., Moir, S., Kuhn, S., Buchholz, B.O. (2015) "Interventions to Reduce the Ergonomic Exposures of Drywall Installation", Procedia Manufacturing 3: pp. 4173-4180
  • Kuhn, S., Punnett, L., Buchholz, B., Dasgupta, P.S., Fulmer, S., Jing, X. (2014) "Assessing the Ergonomic Exposures for Drywall Workers", International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 44:2 pp. 307-315
  • Kuhn, S., Martin, F., Greher, G., Heines, J., Jeffers, J., Kim, H., Roehr, K., Selleck, N., Silka, L., Yanco, H. (2009) "Joining Computing and the Arts at a Mid-Size University", Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges 24:no.6 pp. 87-94
  • Greher, G.R., Heines, J.M., Kuhn, S. (2009) Music Performamatics: Interdisciplinary Interaction
  • Kuhn, S. (2008) Blocks pp. 242-246
  • Heines, J.M., Jeffers, J., Kuhn, S. (2008) "Performamatics: Experiences with Connecting a Computer Science Course to a Design Arts Course", International Journal of Learning 15:2 pp. 9-16
  • Kuhn, S., Rayman, P. (2007) Software and Internet Industry Workers pp. 93-109
  • Kuhn, S., Davidson, J. (2007) "Thinking With Things, Teaching With Things: Enhancing Student Learning in Qualitative Research Through Reflective Use of Tools and Materials", Qualitative Research Journal. 7:no. 2 pp. 63-75
  • Kuhn, S., Rayman, P. (2007) Women on the Edge of Change: Employees in United States Information Technology Companies pp. 191-210
  • Kuhn, S., Wooding, J. (2003) The Changing Structure of Work in the United States: Implications for Health and Welfare pp. 251-261
  • Kuhn, S. (2001) "Commentary on: "The Greening of Engineers: A Cross-cultural Experience"", Science and Engineering Ethics 7:1
  • Kuhn, S. (2001) "Learning from the Architecture Studio: Implications for Project-Based Pedagogy", International Journal of Engineering Education 17:4-5 pp. 349-352
  • Kuhn, S. (2000) "Interstate 495 West: The Challenges of Change in an Information Technology Corridor", Massachusetts Benchmarks 3:no. 4 pp. 18-22
  • Kuhn, S. (1998) Retail Workers
  • Kuhn, S. (1998) "The Software Design Studio: On Exploration", IEEE Software 15:2 pp. 65-71
  • Kuhn, S. (1998) "When Worlds Collide: Engineering Students Encounter Social Aspects of Production", Science and Engineering Ethics 4:4 pp. 457-472
  • Bucciarelli, L.L., Kuhn, S. (1997) Engineering Education and Engineering Practice: Improving the fit
  • Kuhn, S., Wooding, J. (1997) The Changing Structure of Work: Income and Benefits
  • Kuhn, S. (1996) Design for People at Work
  • Kuhn, S., Winograd, T. (1996) Participatory Design
  • Kuhn, S., Wooding, J. (1994) "The Changing Structure of Work in the United States: Part I--The impact on income and benefits", New Solutions 4:no. 2 pp. 43-56
  • Muller, M.J., Kuhn, S. (1993) "Aspects of Participatory Design - Response", Communications of the ACM 36:10
  • Kuhn, S., Muller, M.J. (1993) "Design - Introduction", Communications of the ACM 36:6
  • Kuhn, S., Richardson, C. (1993) "Metamorphosis: An Engineering Student's Story", New Solutions 3:no. 3
  • Kuhn, S., Richardson, C. (1993) Standing on the Edge: Engineering Students Encounter Skill-Based Automation pp. 19-26
  • Baethge, M., Grimm, A., Kuhn, S., Neubert, J., Oberbeck, H. (1991) Regulierung und Deregulierung der Dienstleistungsarbeit in der BRD und den
  • Kuhn, S. (1989) The Limits to Industrialization: Computer software development in a large commercial bank pp. 266-278
  • Kuhn, S., Bluestone, B. (1987) Economic Restructuring and the Female Labor Market: The impact of industrial change on women
  • Kuhn, S. (1986) High Tech Research Group Whatever Happened to Job Security?
  • Shaiken, H., Herzenberg, S., Kuhn, S. (1986) "The Work Process Under More Flexible Production", Industrial Relations 25:no. 2
  • Shaiken, H., Kuhn, S., Herzenberg, S. (1984) Automation and the Workplace: Case Studies on the Introduction of Programmable Automation in Manufacturing: Work environment effects 2: pp. Part A
  • Kuhn, S. (1984) High Tech Research Group Massachusetts High Tech: The promise and the reality
  • Kuhn, S. (1982) Computer Manufacturing in New England: Structure, location, and labor in a growing industry
  • Bluestone, B., Hanna, P., Kuhn, S., Moore, L. (1981) The Retail Revolution: Market Transformation, Investment, and Labor in the modern department store

Selected Presentations

  • - Making Meaning M2. Symposium on Making and Assessment., October 2012 - New York, NY
  • - Summer Institute in American Philosophy, July 2012 - Eugene, OR
  • Feeling Your Way into Computing and Math. - Plenary Flash Talk, May 2012 - Chicago, IL
  • Update: Math Recall and Attitudes with Crocheted Hyperbolic Planes. - Social Science Advisory Board (SSAB) (after-conference meeting), May 2012 - Chicago, IL
  • - Re:making ARCHITECTURE., March 2012 - Providence, RI.c
  • Write your Code/Draw your Artwork - Design, Make, Play - Growing the Next Generation of Science Innovators., January 2012 - Queens, NY
  • - Performance, Science, Science Education: Cultivating Ensembles in STEM Education and Research.", UConn Health Center, January 2012 - Farmington, CT
  • - National Science Foundation Workshop on Interdisciplinary Computing, November 2011 - Washington, DC
  • Lego¨ Learning in Higher Education. - 25th Annual Conference on the Teaching of Psychology: Ideas & Innovations., March 2011 - Tarrytown, NY.
  • Innovation Through Making in the Classroom. - National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Association, March 2011 - Washington, DC
  • Lego¨ Engineering and Girls: Many Paths to the Future. - Lego¨ Engineering Symposium, June 2009
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 2008 - Bloomington, IN.
  • "Identifying Technology Gaps in HAZMAT Operations." - 2008 IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security, May 2008 - Waltham, MA
  • - A workshop for participants from academic institutions that have exemplary community service and social entrepreneurship programs, 2007 - Raleigh, NC.
  • Computing in Context: Integrating an Embedded Computing Project into a Course on Ethical and Societal Issues. - Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, 2006 - Houston, TX.
  • Radical Design: From Pencils to Software to Processes to Clothing. - Exploring Design as a Research Activity, Designing Interactive Systems, 2006
  • Women on the Edge of Change: Employees in United States Information Technology Companies. - Crossing Cultures, Changing Lives: Integrating Research on Girls' Choices of IT Careers, 2005 - Oxford, England.
  • - Impact 2005!, 2005 - Cambridge, MA.
  • Software and Internet Industry Workers in Massachusetts: Findings and Implications for the Future of Work. - The Future of Work in Massachusetts, 2005
  • Coming to our Senses in Higher Education: Using 'low technology' to enhance engagement, learning, and embodied knowledge. - The Teaching Professor Conference, May 2005 - Chicago, IL.
  • Paper Reviewer - ACM SIG CHI (Computer Human Interaction), 2004
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference (PDCÕ04)., 2004 - Toronto, Canada.
  • "The Software Engineering Code of Ethics, Participatory Designers, and the Public Good. - Eighth Biennial Participatory Design Conference 2004, 2004 - Toronto, Canada
  • A Qualitative Research Methods Course for Students from a Variety of Disciplines. - Forum on Qualitative Research and Regional Development, 2004 - Lowell, MA
  • - Forum on Qualitative Research and Regional Development, Project TechForce., 2004 - Lowell, MA.
  • Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Qualitative Research Courses on the UML Campus but were Afraid to Ask. - UML Qualitative Research Network., 2004
  • Chilly Climate, Engrossing Puzzle? Research Results on the Experience of Work in Computing Workplaces. - Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, October 2004 - Chicago, IL.
  • Coming to our Senses in Higher Education: Using 'low technology' to enhance engagement, learning, and embodied knowledge. - The Teaching Professor Conference, May 2004 - Philadelphia, PA
  • "What Makes Dick and Jane Run? Examining the retention of women and men in the software and Internet industry." - 2003 ACM SIGMIS CPR Conference, April 2003 - Philadelphia, PA
  • Program Committee - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 2002 - Malmš, Sweden.
  • The Software Studio in Software Engineering Education. - CSEE&T 2002 (15th Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training)., 2002 - Covington, KY.
  • - ASME Design Theory and Methodology Conference., 2001
  • - Mudd Design Workshop III, Social Dimensions of Engineering Design, 2001 - Claremont, CA.
  • Design of Information Technology: Whose Values? - The Status of Women: Facing the Facts, Forging the Future., June 2001 - Washington, DC.
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 2000 - New York, NY.
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 2000 - Cambridge, MA.
  • Introduction to Participatory Design, with Michael Muller. - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 2000 - New York, NY.
  • - Workshop on End User Programming., 1999
  • Learning from the Architecture Studio: Implications for Project-Based Pedagogy. - Mudd Design Workshop II, Designing Design Education for the 21st Century. Harvey Mudd College, May 1999 - Claremont, California
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 1996 - Cambridge, MA..
  • - Fifth International Conference on Human Aspects of Advanced Manufacturing., 1996 - Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Using Student Drawings for Classroom Assessment. - New England Assessment Network Fall 1996 Forum., 1996 - Boston, MA.
  • Engineering Education and Engineering Practice: Improving the Fit. (With L.L. Bucciarelli). - National Association for Science, Technology, and Society., 1995 - Washington, DC.
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 1994 - Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Meeting of the Minds: The Challenges of Interdisciplinary and Interoccupational Communication. Workshop (with Marian Williams). - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference, 1994 - Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Participatory Design--The Natural History of Communication. - Greater Boston Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction., 1993 - Medford, MA.
  • - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Participatory Design Conference (PDC'92)., 1992 - Cambridge, MA.
  • Can We Talk? Engineers, Machinists, and the Barriers to a Skill-Based Approach to Production. - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing., 1992 - Berkeley, CA.
  • Engineers and Machinists: Conceptual Barriers to Skill-Based Systems. - International Federation of Automatic Control, Symposium on Automated Systems Based on Human Skill (and Intelligence)., 1992 - Madison, WI.
  • Worlds Apart: Engineers, Machinists, and a Skill-Based Approach to Production. - Society for the Social Study of Science (joint with EASST)., 1992 - Gšteborg, Sweden.
  • Plenary Panelist; Gender and Computing. - Association for Computing Machinery, Computers and the Quality of Life., 1990 - Washington, DC.
  • A Working Hypothesis: Observations on the Reorganization of Work in the Systems Department of a Bank. - Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning., 1985 - Milwaukee, WI.

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

  • 'Computing With a Purpose' in an Introductory Design Course. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Are Introductory STEM Design Experiences Effective in Promoting Engagement? (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Collaborative Research: GSE/RES: Research on Faculty Change: Adoption of Educational Innovations to Increase Participation of Women in Computing. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Computational and Mathematical Engagement Through Weaving (), Grant -
  • Conversing with Materials. (), Grant - Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Study and Conference Center
    Kuhn, S.
  • Engaging Computing: Integrating Computer Science into Undergraduate Graphic Arts and Computer Science Courses. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Engaging Computing: Integrating Computer Science into Undergraduate Graphic Arts and Computer Science Courses. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Interdisciplinary Research on Collaborative Learning Environments for Software Design. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • National Science Foundation (), Grant - Designing Effective Team-Based Human-Robot Interaction Using Risk and Decision Analysis.
    Kuhn, S.
  • Pilot: Ideas With Handles: Tangible Modeling Tools for Creative Discovery in IT. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Radical Design: A Process and Architecture for Building Heterogeneous Software Systems. (), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Pathways: Computational and Mathematical Engagement through Weaving. (2012), Grant - National Science Foundation's Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program
    Kuhn, S.
  • Engineering the Common Good. (2009), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • SLICES: Community and Industry Reaching Into Computer, Lab, and Engineering Sciences. (2009), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • CPATH CB: Performamatics: Connecting Computer Science to the Performing, Fine, and Design Arts. (2007), Grant - National Science Foundation
  • Internet System for Networked Sensor Experimentation (iSENSE) (2007), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • DRU: Analysis of Current HAZMAT Response Capabilities and the Impact of Human Robot Interaction on Risk Mitigation (2006), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Curriculum Module to Support Sustainable Development Learning. (2004), Grant - Committee on Industrial Theory and Assessment
    Kuhn, S.
  • Fellowship Stipend (2001), Fellowship - Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
  • Developing and Testing a Method for Using Democratic Design Criteria Within Participatory Technology Assessment. (2000), Grant - National Science Foundation
  • "Y2K Workers: What Happens on January 2, 2000?" (1999), Grant - US Department of Labor
  • Scenario Workshop on Democracy and Sustainability. (1999), Grant - Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities
    Kuhn, S.
  • Informational Context Supporting Design for Environment in the Merrimack Valley Region. (1998), Contract - Committee on Industrial Theory and Assessment
    Kuhn, S.
  • Ethical and Infrastructural Issues of University- Community Interaction. (1997), Grant - Committee on Industrial Theory and Assessment
    Kuhn, S.
  • Study of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration. (1993), Grant - Committee on Industrial Theory and Assessment
    Kuhn, S.
  • Lowell Tex: Embracing Lowell's Cultural, Historical, and Educational Assets to Create Pathways to STEM (2015), Grant - UMass President's Office
    Hansen, C.J. (Co-Principal), Kuhn, S. (Principal), Kazmer, D.O. (Co-Principal), Reynaud, E. (Co-Principal), Levasseur, K.M. (Co-Principal), Scribner-Maclean, M. (Co-Principal)
  • Computational Thinking through Computing and Music (2011), Grant -
    Heines, J.M. (Principal), Greher, G.R. (Co-Principal), Ruthmann, S.A. (Co-Principal), Kuhn, S. (Other), Martin, F. (Other)
  • EAGER: Thinking With Things: Remaking Learning in Higher Education and Beyond (2010), Grant -
    Kuhn, S. (Principal)
  • EAGER: Thinking With Things: Remaking Learning in Higher Education and Beyond. (2010), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Performamatics: Connecting Computer Science to the Performing, Fine, and Design Arts (2007), Grant -
    Heines, J.M. (Principal), Greher, G.R. (Co-Principal), Jeffers, J. (Co-Principal), Kuhn, S. (Co-Principal), Martin, F. (Co-Principal), Roehr, K.E. (Co-Principal), Selleck, N.G. (Co-Principal)
  • Curriculum Module to Support Development Learning (2004), Grant - UML Committee on Industrial Theory and Assessment
    Martin, F. (Principal), Kuhn, S. (Principal)
  • Women in Information Technology Workplaces (2001), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.
  • Career Advancement Award (1996), Grant - National Science Foundation
  • Engineering Values as a Barrier to the Effective Use of Skilled Workers. (1991), Grant - National Science Foundation
    Kuhn, S.

Quick Links