Portrait of Astrid Peng

Kewen (Astrid) Peng

CS PhD student, University of Utah

Show what, how, and where interfaces can reach users.

I'm a PhD student in human-centered computing at the University of Utah, advised by Yue Jiang (opens in a new tab) in the LUNA Lab (opens in a new tab). I work on XR, multimodal interaction, and interfaces for working with AI.

News

The closing slide of the Harmonia video: the four stages of the demo, and an invitation to UIST 2026, Tuesday Nov 3, 6 to 9 pm

About the project

Detroit,

Harmonia is headed to UIST 2026

β€œHarmonia” 🎹 was selected as one of the top 10 teams to present at UIST 2026. Please come explore our demo this November!

New

Salt Lake City,

See you at CSCW 2026

I'll be there as a student volunteer. Come find me for a coffee chat β˜•οΈ

Hello, Salt Lake City

Arrived to start my PhD journey at the University of Utah. πŸ’ͺ

A UTA bus passing under the South Campus Drive sign, snow-capped mountains behind
Earlier news

Education

  • 2026 – nowUniversity of UtahPhD in human-centered computing. Advisor: Yue Jiang (opens in a new tab), LUNA Lab (opens in a new tab) I helped design it!
  • 2020 – 2024Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityBS in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, BEng in Industrial Design (minor)
  • 2023ETH Zurich and University of ZurichExchange student
  • 2017-2020High School Affilicated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Research experience

Research

IEEE VR 2025 (selected as TVCG paper)

VR Whispering: A Multisensory Approach for Private Conversations in Social Virtual Reality

X. Wang*, K. Peng*, C. Hao, W. Yu, X. Yi, H. Li  (*equal contribution)

People care about privacy, but how do you make them feel it? Whisper combines visual, auditory, and tactile cues to recreate the feel of whispering in VR. In a comparison with existing methods (N=24), it did better on privacy, intimacy, and social presence.

Paper: VR Whispering, PDF (opens in a new tab)Video: VR Whispering, on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

UIST 2026 (SIC)

Harmonia: Physiological Signal-Driven Music for Remote Relationship Maintenance

K. Peng, N. Zhang

Messages and calls don't tell you how someone far away is really doing. Harmonia turns real-time physiological signals into ambient generative music, giving people in long-distance relationships a shared channel that evolves with the relationship.

Paper: Harmonia, PDF (opens in a new tab)Video: Harmonia, on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Coming soon

Embodied User Interface Design of Human-AIs Interaction

Still texting your agents when you need help with a decision? Let them be present as partners. A multimodal interface for face-to-face interaction with a team of agents. Careful, they might debate each other.

Coming soon

An Optimized Technique for Mobile Video Learning

A centric-aware technique that brings video learning on the go into the real world. Evaluations with both video designers and viewers showed easy adaptation and a better learning experience.

Honors and service

  • Doctoral Fellowship, University of Utah
  • DEIA Grant, IEEE VR 2025
  • Rong-Chang Scholarship of LeadershipOnly 15 new students selected each year
  • Excellent Graduate of Shanghai City
  • COSCO SHIPPING ScholarshipOnly Top 5% students selected
  • Undergraduate Merit Scholarship (Class A), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  • Third Prize, Mathematical Modeling Contest, Shanghai Region
  • Honorable Mention, Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling
  • First Prize (Top 3), Shanghai Municipal Classical Poetry and Prose Interpretation Competition

Service

Beyond research

Photography

  • Golden aspens and dark pines above a still mountain lake, a small wooden dock with people on it
    Utah, Oct 2026Aspens turning in the mountains
  • Bright yellow aspens on a rocky ledge over turquoise water
    Utah, Oct 2026A hiking trail near Twin Lake
  • A hillside of yellow aspens with dark spruce trees in front
    Utah, Oct 2026Golden hour at Silver Lake
  • The domes of Santa Maria della Salute above the Grand Canal at dusk, Venice
    Venice, Mar 2026From the Accademia Bridge. A week in Italy in spring
  • Rowing boats on a lake in front of a small classical temple, in autumn colours
    Rome, Mar 2026Villa Borghese
  • A green headland dropping into deep blue sea, seen from above
    Capri, Mar 2026Anacapri in spring
  • People sitting on a waterfront square in the evening sun, blue flowers in front, a church tower behind
    Stockholm, Jul 2025A solo day trip from Helsinki to Stockholm
  • Two people sitting at the water's edge, the lagoon glittering in the sun
    Venice, Mar 2026Love beneath Rialto
  • Mountains and clouds seen from an aeroplane window
    Somewhere in the air
  • A red fly agaric mushroom among heather and grass
    Helsinki, 2025Outside the city
  • A gondola and water taxis on the Grand Canal, lined with pastel palazzi
    Venice, Mar 2026View on Rialto
  • Bottles and a chess set on a small table in dappled sunlight
    Stockholm, Jul 2025Fika at MonteliusvΓ€gen
  • Boats moored along a narrow canal between red walls and green leaves
    Venice, Mar 2026
  • Purple heather in soft focus
    Helsinki, 2025Summer time outside the city
  • A small bridge over a quiet side canal, a blue-covered boat in front
    Venice, Mar 2026
  • A gondolier passing under a footbridge on a narrow canal, in warm evening light
    Venice, Mar 2026

More on Instagram at @astridingalaxy (opens in a new tab).

Film

We Are Each Other

Director, screenwriter, lyrics (adapted) Β·

A film about the Class of 2024 at SJTU's School of Mathematical Sciences, looking back on four years together. Set to my adaptation of the song ε’Œδ½ δΈ€ζ ·, with new lyrics and a reworked melody.

Several Encounters: In the World of Mathematics

Director Β·

This is a teaser for our school's welcome party, a homage to What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? Also my first attempt at directing a short film.