I am a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, advised by Professor Ellen Yi-Luen Do and Professor Ryo Suzuki. My research interests include Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Augmented Reality, and Generative AI. In particular, I am passionate about designing and studying interactive systems that bring learning into the physical world, enabling people to explore, experiment, and create through embodied, hands-on experiences.

Prior to this, I worked as a Senior Product Manager at Tencent, focusing on video content creation tools. I hold a Master's degree in Creative Technology and Design from the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Interactive Media Arts and Computer Science from NYU Shanghai.

In my free time, I enjoy staying active in the outdoors, especially through climbing🧗, snowboarding🏂 and surfing🏄.

Feel free to reach out at ada.zhao@colorado.edu — I’d love to connect and chat about ideas, projects, or just say hi!