This Futuring UCI Anthropology colloquium will explore pathways for anthropologists in business and design settings through a conversation with Melissa Cefkin, Principal Scientist at Nissan Research Center, led by recent UCI anthropology alums and current post-doctoral scholars Taylor Nelms and Emily Brooks.

Dr. Cefkin obtained her BA in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and went on to earn her PhD at Rice University. Dr. Cefkin is currently Principal Scientist for Nissan Research Center – Silicon Valley (NRC-SV). She now leads foundational research on the technical development of autonomous vehicles. Working alongside roboticists, computer scientists, and electrical and mechanical engineers, she is helping to design the technical systems of a self-driving car that won’t be fully developed for years to come.