Iriani Amirudin

What is your name and what course do you study, what year are you in, what scholarship did you receive?

My name is Iriani Amirudin and I’m pursuing my Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction Design (HCID) at City St George's, University of London.

I was awarded the Global STEM Leadership Masters Scholarship worth 75% of my tuition fee.

What were you doing before you came to study at City St George's? 

I was a technology reporter at a national business and investment publication. Prior to this, I obtained a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from the University of Leeds, as well as participated in various community engagement projects such as migrant support and researching how accessible disability services are in the UK.

What has been your favourite module on the course, and what have you enjoyed most about your time at City St George's? 

My favourite module on the course so far is Interaction Design. For our coursework, my team designed a technology that enables visitors of King’s Cross to engage in acts of kindness.

Adopting a design-thinking approach that was iterative in nature was challenging but rewarding as it resulted in a better product and service.

What kind of things are you involved in outside of your course? 

I’m a part of Her Tech Hustle, an organisation passionate about empowering women in technology.

Having met the co-founder in class, I’m happy to be able to design and create content that can make an impact. Besides this, I also do photography and creative direction.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? 

I plan to have industry experience in product development, strategy and design. I’m particularly passionate about consumer platforms and its effects on underserved and underrepresented groups.

I believe this course will be a strong foundation for my future career.

What would be your top tip for our applicants? 

Believe in yourself, practice self-compassion and showcase your values and skills in a confident manner.

What is your proudest academic achievement?

This scholarship is my proudest achievement so far. Being the first person in my family to be in STEM, I’m thankful for City St George's acknowledgment and investment in me.

I’m also grateful for my previous Merit Scholarships during my undergraduate years.

How do you see your subject of study changing in the future?

Computing will only become more ubiquitous and extended reality has already presented new ways of interaction. Empathy and inclusion should have vital roles in the future of HCI.

This includes thinking about how to inflict the least amount of harm possible and focusing not only on the individual user, but also one’s social environment and group dynamics.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I learned from a young age the value of intersectionality. Being an international student with unique hurdles, I’m conscious of how a person’s race, gender, class, ability (able-bodied), religion and culture can affect their lives.

Adopting this approach in HCI will equitably represent a growingly diverse group of users.