Darren Gergle elected to prestigious “CHI Academy”

Darren Gergle, the Bao Family Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Northwestern University, has been elected to the ACM SIGCHI Academy—one of the most prestigious awards in the field of human–computer interaction (HCI).

Gergle is one of 11 elite international scholars selected in 2026 to the “CHI Academy.” Chosen members are leaders in their field, have helped shape the discipline, and have made significant contributions to the advancement of HCI research.

Gergle’s scholarship integrates social and behavioral theory with technology design to better understand how people collaborate, communicate, and build shared understanding through digital systems. His research explores how interactive systems can be designed to support more inclusive and effective collaboration.

“It’s incredibly meaningful,” Gergle said. “Many of the scholars I’ve followed and modeled my career after were inducted into the CHI Academy before me. To even imagine someday joining that group was exciting.”

At Northwestern, Gergle co-founded and co-directs the Center for Human-Computer Interaction + Design (HCI+D), an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together researchers across the university to study and shape the future of human–technology interaction. The center, which he leads alongside faculty colleagues Elizabeth Gerber and Bryan Pardo, reflects Northwestern’s growing influence in the field.

Gerber, a professor of mechanical engineering with a joint appointment in the School of Communication, was among the CHI Academy class in 2025, marking two consecutive years in which Northwestern faculty have received the honor. Gergle sees this one-two inductee punch as significant for the University.   

“For many years, much of the field developed at institutions like Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, and Georgia Tech,” Gergle said. “Having two consecutive CHI Academy inductees speaks to what we’ve built here at Northwestern over the past two decades. It recognizes the strength of the interdisciplinary community we’ve developed here in human–computer interaction.”

An election to the CHI Academy is valuable for a scholar as it leads to excellent networking opportunities, validation of the research, and prestige to the recipient and their university.

“The award brings recognition not just to me, but to the many students, collaborators, and colleagues who have shaped and contributed to the research,” he said. “Advances in our field come from communities of people working together.”

Gergle and his fellow academy inductees will be honored at SIGCHI’s annual CHI conference in Barcelona in April.