Zhuoran (Elara) Liu

Hi, I’m Elara Liu, a second-year MSCS student at Northwestern University, advised by Dr. Karan Ahuja and Dr. Haoqi Zhang, specializing in Human–Computer Interaction. I earned a B.S. with dual majors in Computer Science and Informatics from UC Irvine. I study how intelligent systems can be dependable partners in everyday life rather than noisy sources of friction.

My work asks how technology can help people follow through on intentions, build and maintain habits, and recover after lapses—while respecting attention, autonomy, and context. I like to close the loop from real-world needs to working systems: I design and build interactive tools, iterate on their interfaces with users, and study how they behave in the wild in domains such as health, learning, and everyday routines.

Across projects, I focus on timing, explanation, and control. I’m especially excited about language-model–driven systems and context-aware technologies that surface the right support at the right moment and make their behavior legible, auditable, and aligned with people’s well-being. I enjoy collaborating across disciplines and working with diverse teams to tackle complex, real-world problems.

I’m applying to Fall 2026 PhD programs in labs that blend HCI, HAI, and health and well-being. If your group works at this intersection, I’d love to connect.