Shaikh Shawon Arefin Shimon

Shaikh Shawon Arefin Shimon

CS/HCI PhD Candidate @ UWaterloo

About Shimon

I am a PhD Candidate in Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), wearable computing, and extended reality (XR). My research explores body-centric interaction for wearable and immersive computing, investigating how people can interact with emerging technologies beyond conventional screens, handheld controllers, and device boundaries.

My doctoral research focuses on designing and evaluating interaction techniques for head-worn devices, including earables and virtual reality (VR) headsets. In particular, I investigate how spatial location, gesture trajectories, and above-neck interaction can expand the interaction vocabulary of head-worn devices. Through interaction design, prototyping, and controlled user studies, my work explores ways to enable expressive, eyes-free, and beyond-field-of-view (FOV) interaction while reducing visual interference, supporting multitasking, and improving usability and accessibility in immersive environments.

I conduct my doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Jian Zhao in the WVisdom Lab at the University of Waterloo. I began my PhD under the supervision of the late Dr. Edward Lank, a pioneer of HCI research at Waterloo. Although he passed away in 2022, his mentorship and perspective continue to influence my approach to research, interaction design, and mentoring others.

My research has resulted in publications at leading HCI and interactive computing venues, including CHI, MobileHCI, IMWUT/UbiComp, and Graphics Interface (GI). More broadly, I am interested in how emerging sensing technologies and novel interaction techniques can make future computing systems more intuitive, accessible, and seamlessly integrated into everyday activities.

Before my doctoral studies, I spent over six years in software development at Samsung R&D Institute Bangladesh and Keysight Technologies, and over three years as a Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North South University, where I taught undergraduate computer science courses and supervised student research. I remain a faculty member (currently on leave).

I expect to complete my PhD requirements in April 2027 and am open to postdoctoral and industry research or engineering opportunities in HCI, XR, and wearable computing. I also welcome inquiries about research collaborations. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or contact me at ssarefin[at]uwaterloo[dot]ca or skshimon[at]alumni[dot]colostate[dot]edu.

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