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🍑 Tao Long (he/him)

Hi, I'm a third-year Computer Science PhD student at Columbia University, with a focus on human-computer interaction (HCI). I'm fortunate to be advised by Professor Lydia Chilton and part of the Columbia HCI and Columbia VIGR

My research focuses on making generative AI models more usable, useful, and well-integrated into our everyday workflows. Thus, I build AI productivity & creativity support tools (yeee🤠!!) Specifically, I design and build human-AI and agentic workflows that reduce cognitive load and manual effort, support diverse exploration and fast iterations, and integrate seamlessly into existing users' practices :) Right before my PhD, I earned my bachelors with Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University, which unlocked the doors to research and teaching for me.

long@cs.columbia.edutwitter
g-scholarcv (04/2025)

News / Travel

Apr 2025 🎏 🇯🇵 CHI 2025 Yokohama, Japan 🌸 🗼

Research

My Info/Sci and Communication background made me understand that technology has both communicative capacity and responsibility. Therefore, as designers and developers, we should speak, design, and build for those who can't. I am more than eager to learn and join exciting HCI/AI projects. Don't hesitate to reach out for collab :D

Teaching & Services

I enjoy teaching and service. My passion for teaching and socially impactful research significantly contributes to my decision to pursue a PhD and (possibly) an academic career in Computer Science. For the sake of intersectionality, I always remind myself that I am indeed a privileged person along my journey. It helps me rethink myself, my role, and my responsibilities in better helping others with the resources I have. Always eager to contribute to new initiatives ;)

FA 2024

COMS W4156: Advanced Software Engineering (w/ Gail Kaiser)

FA 2024

COMS E6998: Designing for Generative AI (w/ Lydia Chilton)

SP 2024

COMS W4170: User Interface Design (w/ Lydia Chilton)

SP 2024

COMS BC3997: Applied Computing: Research and Industry Perspectives (w/ Brian Plancher)

FA 2023

COMS E6998: Designing for Generative AI (w/ Lydia Chilton)

FA 2022

COMS 6998: Designing for Emerging Technology (w/ Lydia Chilton)

SP 2022

INFO 4400: Qualitative User Research and Design Methods (w/ Gilly Leshed)

FA 2021

INFO 3450: Human-Computer Interaction Design (w/ Gilly Leshed)

SP 2021

INFO 2300: Intermediate Design and Programming for Web (w/ Kyle Harms)



Conference Reviewer @

CHI, IUI, DIS, UIST, C&C, CSCW, FAccT, TEI, CHI PLAY (total 59 submissions, 9 review awards)

Conference Organizer @

IUI 2025 PC, C&C 2025 PC, CHI 2024/2025 Late-Breaking Work PC, UIST 2024/2025 Web Chair

Conference Volunteer @

UIST 2024, CHI 2024, DIS 2024, CSCW 2023, CHI 2023, EMNLP 2022, CSCW 2022, TEI 2022



PhD Representative @

Columbia CS Department

Lead Organizer @

Columbia HCI & Columbia HCI Seminars

Lead Organizer @

Pre-Application Review Program for PhD Applicants   (video)   (news)

Vice President @

qSTEM at Columbia University   (linktree)

Mentor @

Columbia Undergraduate Research Experiences in Mathematical Modeling (CSUREMM) Program

Mentor @

Women in Science at Columbia (WISC) Undergraduate Mentoring Program

Fellow @

Social Justice Mini-Grant Grantee & Recipient (PI, $1500) University Life and Columbia University   (grantee profile)

Fellow @

Teaching with AI Fellow at Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning

Fellow @

Lead Teaching Fellow at Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning

Fellow @

Kraft Global Fellow at Kraft Family Fund and Columbia University   (news)

Fellow @

CRA Grad Cohort for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Leadership Skills (CRA-IDEALS)

Awardee @

PhD Service Award at Columnbia University   (news)

Member @

Queer in AI & Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM)

Undergrad Member @

Grad Students for Gender Inclusion in Computing at Cornell University

Undergrad Worker @

Technical Project Coordinator at Cornell Information Technologies

Undergrad Worker @

Café Jennie at Cornell University



📍for the latest and cutest details, please check my  CV :)  

Miscs

Music Blog (i listened to 127,335 mins of music last year...)

Travel Blog (escape ithaca/NYC once a month!)
  • 2nd year phd in the big apple...
    • [05/2024] Honolulu, Hawaiʻi (chi 24!)
    • [04/2024] Minneapolis, MN (cra ideals 24!) & Durham, NC
    • [03/2024] Manassas, VA
    • [02/2024] Palo Alto, CA (havent been with my family for lunar new year for 6 years!)
    • [01/2024] Palo Alto, CA
    • [12/2023] Miami, FL + Caribbean Sea (family vacay! cruise!)
    • [11/2023] San Francisco, CA (uist 23!)
    • [10/2023] Minneapolis, MN (cscw 23!)
    • [07-09/2023] NYC SAD! I miss traveling :(
    • [06/2023] Delavan, WI (hcic 23!) & Waterloo, ON (iccc 23 virtual...thank u! amazing Canada visa officers🕯️RIP)
  • 1st year phd in the big apple...
    • [05/2023] Durham, NC
    • [04/2023] Manassas, VA (chi 23 virtual...)
    • [03/2023] Honolulu, Hawaiʻi (cra ideals 23!)
    • [02/2023] Washington, DC (aaai 23!)
    • [01/2023] Nairobi, Kenya (kraft global fellow)
    • [12/2022] Manassas, VA
    • [11/2022] Pittsburgh, PA (cscw 22 virtual...)
    • [10/2022] Raleigh, NC
    • [09/2022] Miami, FL (gaga concert!)
    • [08/2022] Palo Alto, CA (family reunion!)
    • [07/2022] Ithaca, NY
    • [06/2022] Manassas, VA
  • senior year in ithaca...
    • [05/2022] New York, NY (my graduation!)
    • [04/2022] Miami, FL
    • [03/2022] Chicago, IL
    • [02/2022] New York, NY
    • [01/2022] Washington, DC
    • [12/2021] Manassas, VA
    • [11/2021] Boston, MA
    • [10/2021] Winston-Salem, NC
    • [09/2021] New York, NY
    • [08/2021] Gainesville, VA
    • [07/2021] Washington, DC (July 4 fireworks!)
    • [06/2021] New York, NY
Foodie Blog (see @dr_dietcoke)
Mood Blog (see this doc)
Dance Blog (kpop cover dance!)
@iamtaolong 💖wonyoung in the studio #ive #wonyoung #elevenchallenge #nyc #phdstudent ♬ original sound - taotao
@iamtaolong 💚wonyoung in the office #ive #wonyoung #afterlikechallenge #nyc #phdstudent ♬ original sound - taotao


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