Recommendations
Former Supervisors
“A joy to work with, David is thoughtful, inquisitive, analytical, and creative, a rare combination of qualities. In addition to a superb meta-study he conducted for us, he also offered an unexpectedly robust expert review that revealed design and flow issues no one else was aware of. Overall, he dives deeply into data and theme extraction, leaving no doubt his detailed work is objective and credible. If given the chance, I’d happily work with him again.”
Research Director, Viator (former)
“David is the caliber of staff a department head dreams of. I regularly receive messages commending his clarity, depth of knowledge, command of resources, and friendliness. The epitome of the above-and-beyond, call-of-duty team member, I rely on him completely to ensure things are done ahead of schedule and with care, precision, and integrity.”
Department Chair (retired)
“I could spend all day singing David’s praises. He brings a criticality to his work rarely seen these days, and has raised the bar of what’s expected across our programs. Thanks to his innovative ideas and the regular backflips he performs, we work in a different place now. He changed my own job into one that could be done reasonably, and I guess it was always supposed to be that way.”
Chair of Graduate Studies (Emerita)
I had the pleasure of working with David for a short but impactful stretch. Even in that limited time, he brought to the table a rare combination of intellectual depth and literacy in systems thinking, as he thinks across layers - structural, epistemic, social, political and still delivers. What’s more, I believe he delivers for these very reasons. He doesn’t just ask good questions, he asks penetrating ones, yet in disarming ways, which I found grounded in a thoughtful, reflexive approach that challenges assumptions without ruffling feathers or inhibiting forward momentum.
David thrives in ambiguity and moves autonomously through complex domains. When conditions allow, he prefers to leverage emergent strategy with an eye toward functional coherence, even when the business environment leans toward speed over quality. This shows up in how he frames problems and articulates meaning, pitfalls, and cumulative impacts. He also displays deep respect for human factors science and a dedication to design clarity and intentionality that make his work not only smart, but tractable and durable. I’d work with him again in a heartbeat.
“In my 30 years of teaching, I haven’t collaborated with a manager and advisor who has demonstrated such levels of initiative, maturity, rigor, and ownership. David is the embodiment of steady temperament, emotional intelligence, expertise, and service.”
Director, Arabic Flagship Program (Emeritus)
Former Colleagues
“I had the opportunity to work closely with David on the implementation of AI in the UAV domain space. He possesses a unique blend of analytical prowess and creative problem-solving skills that makes him a standout researcher.
A fantastic collaborator and communicator, he excelled at translating complex research findings into actionable recommendations driving significant safety, usability, and reliability improvements on pilot-AI interactions during multi-UAV operations. He also took the initiative to coordinate across different stakeholders to set up a dedicated lab environment for operator-in-the-loop testing, but also as a shared resource for other teams and their testing objectives — a demonstration of going beyond the role to help all teams succeed.
His approachable and enthusiastic demeanor fosters a positive team environment, encouraging open dialogue and innovative thinking. I wholeheartedly recommend David to any organization seeking a skilled and passionate UX researcher.
“Our previous managers worked hard, but David changed the feeling of our program, not simply by designing more efficient processes, but by devising experiences free of unpleasant surprises, being somehow aware of of our individual needs and circumstances as they changed. He brings a humanistic quality to his work — always lending an interested ear to our academic rumination and conflicted emotions — and cares about our collective progress. His presence among us motivates me to work harder on my research and be a responsible and professional student.”
“David quickly became an integral, irreplaceable part of the team, whose research-backed, enterprising, and graceful contributions seemed endless at times. He always has a solution where others see none, it’s always quick, and he has a way of interacting that makes us feel valued, that our concerns matter. He’s such a talented communicator that sometimes it feels like he’s the glue that holds us together.”
“Ever the innovative researcher, David has answers not only to the questions I ask, but also the ones I didn’t ask but should have. He’s resourceful without fail and I love how he floats options I wouldn’t have thought of myself. This man is a wonder and I hope he never leaves.”
“For some, out of sight is out of mind. Not for David. Even when I was overseas conducting fieldwork, he remained a constant and invaluable presence in my life, expertly guiding me through the ins & outs of international research and seamlessly repairing potentially disastrous communication gaps amongst my on-campus colleagues. His unfailing work ethic and follow-through always reassured me that someone was in my corner.”
I hired David as a UX Research Manager (contract) for a complex space at Capital One. David is an experienced researcher with an experimental mindset. He is an intentionally inquisitive systems thinker who asks insightful questions and integrates his expertise in ecological psychology, complexity science, and second wave cybernetics to inform both his research and strategy practices. He is equally effective in both short-term and longitudinal projects, creating clarity in ambiguous spaces. He is adaptable, perceptive, resourceful, and generally a delight to work with. I highly recommend him!
Research Director, Capital One (former)
“David is exceptionally productive in his tasks. He’s in constant communication, solves problems on the spot, and, if he can’t, he gets back to you with an elegant solution. He’s never caught off guard, but rather always has an answer to the diversity of questions that come his way. What’s more, he’s good natured. He has a unique ability to make you feel as though you were old friends that hadn’t seen each other in ages. Interacting with him is not merely a business relationship, but an engaging discourse.”
“I had the pleasure of working with David during his time on my team at Indeed, and even though his tenure was brief, just 1.5 months due to an unexpected budget shift, his impact was immediate and meaningful.
From day one, David dove headfirst into some of our most complex and ambiguous problem spaces. He brought sharp intellectual curiosity, drawing from his deep background in Human Factors, Service Design, and Systems Thinking to offer new perspectives that elevated our work. His ability to quickly untangle competing business needs and clarify the direction forward was impressive and set our team up for continued success even after his departure.
Despite the short time we had together, David left a lasting impression. He’s a rare thinker and a natural collaborator. Any team would be lucky to have him.”
Research Director, Indeed
“Without a doubt, David has been the most understanding and helpful person with whom I’ve had the pleasure of interacting at UT. Not only did he field endless questions about everything under the sun, but he counseled me in times of personal turmoil. He seems to have inexhaustible wells of empathy, selflessness, kindness, and knowledge. Behind the scenes, I can’t imagine how much additional work he has undertaken to ensure everything runs with such consonance that everyone is up to speed on so many developments.”