Dr. Leila Takayama is a human-robot interaction researcher, and an associate professor in the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz. With a background in Cognitive Science, Psychology, and Human-Computer Interaction, Dr. Takayama examines human encounters with telepresence and increasingly autonomous technologies. At Hoku Labs, she does consulting for tech companies and non-profit organizations, helping them to make more data-driven decisions about how to design autonomous products and services. Prior to founding Hoku Labs and joining the faculty at UC Santa Cruz, Dr. Takayama was a senior user experience researcher at GoogleX and was a research scientist and area manager for human-robot interaction at Willow Garage. She has served as a World Economic Forum Global Futures Council Member and Young Global Leader. In 2015, she was presented the IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Early Career Award. In 2012, she was named a TR35 winner and one of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company. Dr. Takayama received her BAs in Cognitive Science and Psychology from UC Berkeley, an MA in Communication from Stanford University, and a PhD in Communication at Stanford University.