Ignite talks are short, 5-minute talks on BIG ideas. This year, we have a mix of professionals and academics who will be talking about various topics in UX, communication design, and professional communication
Stephen Carradini
Assistant Professor of Technical Communication, ASU
The Great Reconsideration: How Do We Use Social Media Professionally, Now That We Know?
Bio: Stephen Carradini is an assistant professor of technical communication who researches and teaches emerging technologies and ethics. He has written about independent music for the last 18 years at IndependentClauses.com, and co-hosts a podcast on digital ethics called Winning Slowly.
Anika Bausom
Senior UX Consultant, Nudesic
Future Thinking: Expecting the Unexpected
Bio: Anika Bausom is a UX Designer & Researcher who is passionate about making experiences that help people improve their lives and work. She is currently a Senior UX Consultant at Neudesic, a business and technology consultancy. Anika was one of the first graduates of MS in UX from ASU. She loves learning and talking about UX, and has spoken and had leadership roles with groups including UX in AZ, AIGA Arizona, and Phoenix Design Week.
Erzhena Soktoeva
UX Lead, Decision Theater, ASU
A Different Type of “Screen Time” Tracking
Bio: Erzhena is a UX design lead at Decision Theater at ASU, designing with and for researchers and policy makers. After working in tech for over 9 years and suffering from tech addiction, she also found her calling in becoming a slow tech coach – helping people fight digital overwhelm and develop a better relationship with technology.
Alan Vickers
Technical Writer, Cognizant
Leading a Tech Comm Center of Excellence for a Global Technology Leader
Bio: Alan Vickers graduated from the ASU Technical Communication program in 2003. Since then, he has worked in the aerospace, telecommunication, defense, and healthcare industries. He embraces technology and the wonderful things that humans can do with it. Alan has been involved with and served in the Arizona Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) off and on since 2002. He is currently employed at Cognizant, a global leader in technology and technology-related careers.
Rad Wendzich
Principal UX Designer, Amazon
Quadruple Tour Impact: Write One-Page Documents to Inspire Change, Be More Inclusive, and Fast-Track Your Career
Bio: Rad Wendzich is an award-winning designer and the author of “Your Default Settings”. He likes shortbread cookies, has a passion for soccer, and works as a Principal UX Designer at Amazon.
Claire Lauer
Associate Professor of Technical Communication, ASU
Fear Not! Methods Will Save Us!
Bio: Claire Lauer is an Associate Professor of Technical Communication and User Experience at Arizona State University. She has published on data-driven versus manual qualitative language analysis research, how technology impacts creative thinking and design, and how the work of technical communicators has evolved within the technological workplace. She researches how people are susceptible to deceptive tactics used in graphs, how to communicate scientific information to public audiences, and how to effectively design research interfaces. Dr. Lauer is the past Chair of ACM SIGDOC and served as the Vice Chair of Operations on the ACM’s SGB Executive Council.
Anthony Garone
Author, Co-Founder, Edify Content
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Failure
Bio: Anthony Garone is an entrepreneur, musician, and content creator from Mesa, AZ. He overcame his addiction to a regular paycheck in early 2021 by co-founding a content marketing agency called Edify Content. His hobby YouTube channel, Make Weird Music, has been rapidly creeping out of international obscurity. In an effort to break through the fourth wall, he writes, “My third book will be released later this year on Stairway Press. I have a lovely wife and three kids. You can learn more about me at WrongAsUsual.com.”