About

Sang Won Lee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. His research interests include computer-supported cooperative work, human-computer interaction, computer music, and live coding. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Michigan, obtained in 2018, along with a master's degree from the same university. His educational background also includes a master's in music technology from Georgia Tech, a master's in management science and engineering from Stanford University, and a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Seoul National University, South Korea. His professional location is Gilbert Place, RM 3105, Blacksburg, VA, and he can be contacted via email at sangwonlee@vt.edu or by phone at (540) 231-4857.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Advertising
• Political Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Public relations
• Internet privacy
• Engineering
• Programming language
• Human–computer interaction
• World Wide Web
• Business
• Multimedia

Selected publications

• Herding CATs: Making Sense of Creative Activity Traces

  2026-04-13

  articleOpen access

  This workshop aims to advance the analysis of creative activity traces, particularly those captured through user interaction with software creativity support tools (CSTs). Traces of creative activity constitute a rich resource for identifying the impacts of CSTs—especially AI-based CSTs—on the creative process, and may also inform general-purpose process theories of creativity. Several new approaches to making sense of these traces have been introduced in the past few years, but many of these approaches have emerged from largely disjoint research communities, hindering the development of a shared analytical toolkit. We propose to gather HCI and creativity researchers, including proponents of several different trace analysis techniques, to sketch out a technique design space to guide future empirically grounded research on creativity support.

  PublisherDOI

• Watch Me Watch: Reaction Videos as a Social Form of Online Video Engagement CSCW042

  Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · 2026-04-30

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Reaction videos (RVs) are surging in popularity, emerging as a distinctive facet of participatory culture on modern social video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch. This study aims to explore not only the motivations and engagement patterns of viewers towards RVs, but also the underlying nature of the virality and community-building phenomena that this sub-genre of video content fosters. We conducted 16 semi-structured interviews with individuals who identified as regular viewers of reaction videos to gain a deeper understanding of how they discover reaction videos (RQ1), the values that drive their motivations for viewing RVs (RQ2), and the ways viewers engage with RVs (RQ3). Our research highlights the variety of original content that RVs utilize, ranging from movie trailers to music releases, and the different engagement strategies viewers rely on in their consumption of RVs. Our research highlights the wide range of original content that RVs engage with, from movie trailers to music releases, as well as the diverse engagement strategies viewers employ when consuming RVs. Our findings highlight the significance of emotional connections with reactors, the value of communal experiences centered on shared interests, and the role of RVs in facilitating content discovery and critique. Drawing on viewers’ experiences with RVs, this work offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the complex dynamics of spectatorship and its influence on the production and consumption of content in today’s digital landscape. We further contribute to a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of reaction video culture.

  PublisherDOI

• When Less Can Be More: Evaluating the Impact of Animated and Interactive Demonstrations in Voice-Assisted Counting Games for Young Children

  2026-04-13 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Early counting forms a critical foundation for numeracy, involving coordination of visual representations, verbal number words, and physical actions such as pointing. Designing effective technologies for young children, therefore requires careful calibration of multimodal features. This study investigated how different levels of demonstrations paired with a voice assistant—static (baseline: image+voice), animated (animation+voice), and interactive (touch+animation+voice)—influence counting-related understanding and engagement in 2–4-year-olds. We developed a tablet-based counting game and conducted a within-subjects study with 32 children. Results showed that animated demonstration improved cardinal number word understanding over both baseline and the interactive demonstration. Analyses of verbal counting engagement showed that concurrent touch demands increased cognitive load, limiting children’s counting aloud. These findings suggest that more interactivity does not always yield better outcomes for young learners. We contribute empirical evidence and design guidance: voice+animation supports early counting, while touch interactivity should be lightweight and age-appropriate, informing the design of multimodal voice-assisted applications.

  PublisherDOI

• "Are we writing an advice column for Spock here?" Understanding Stereotypes in AI Advice for Autistic Users

  2026-04-13 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Autistic individuals sometimes disclose autism when asking LLMs for social advice, hoping for more personalized responses. However, they also recognize that these systems may reproduce stereotypes, raising uncertainty about the risks and benefits of disclosure. We conducted a mixed-methods study combining a large-scale LLM audit experiment with interviews involving 11 autistic participants. We developed a six-step pipeline operationalizing 12 documented autism stereotypes into decision-making scenarios framed as users requesting advice (e.g., “Should I do A or B?”). We generated 345,000 responses from six LLMs and measured how advice shifted when prompts disclosed autism versus when they did not. When autism was disclosed, LLMs disproportionately recommended avoiding stereotypically stressful situations, including social events, confrontations, new experiences, and romantic relationships. While some participants viewed this as affirming, others criticized it as infantilizing or undermining opportunities for growth. Our study illuminates how the intermingling of affirmation and stereotyping complicates the personalization of LLMs.1

  PublisherDOI

• Understanding the Effects of Integrating Music Programming and Web Development in a Summer Camp for High School Students

  2025-02-18

  articleSenior author

  This poster presents the development and implementation of a 10-day remix-based summer camp curriculum designed to introduce high school students, particularly a multinational cohort of young women, to programming through creative coding. The curriculum integrates music composition using EarSketch and web development with HTML and CSS. The camp aims to inspire participants to gain self-efficacy in programming and motivate them to explore STEM/computing careers. Preliminary results from surveys and interviews indicate increased confidence in programming skills. This ongoing research explores the impact of remixing as a gateway for transitioning into more general-purpose computing domains such as web development.

  PublisherDOI

• Emotional Transition and Digital Continuity: Exploring Toy Hibernation in Family Households

  2025-12-02

  articleOpen access

  Product hibernation—when end-of-life products are kept but no longer used—poses a significant barrier to extending product lifespans within a circular economy. In households with young children, this challenge is particularly evident: toys are frequently outgrown but retained or ultimately discarded once deemed obsolete, even when fully functional. This paper presents findings from a mixed-method study involving interviews with ten families, a survey of 101 families, and an inventory analysis of thirty- three hibernating children’s toys. The study explores the reasons behind toy hibernation, revealing key motivational factors, as well as barriers to sharing when it has the highest value. Initial findings suggest that emotional attachment and psychological reasons play a central role in detachment difficulties and decisions around a toy's after-use phase. Building on these insights, the study explores how the concept of creating a virtual replica of toys in a digital world might influence users' perceptions and intentions around toy sharing. It identifies factors such as storytelling, community engagement, and replicating real toy visualization as opportunities to design virtual environments and product experiences that reframe end-of-use value and encourage timely sharing. This paper contributes original knowledge to the field of product longevity by proposing a design strategy to mitigate product hibernation through

  PublisherDOI

• Investigating the Effects of Simulated Eye Contact in Video Call Interviews

  2025-04-24 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Some people suggest that deliberately watching the camera during video calls can simulate eye contact and help build trust. In this study, we investigated the effects of simulated eye contact in video calls and job interviews through an experimental study and a survey. Study 1 involved participants in a mock interview as an interviewer, where a confederate interviewee simulated eye contact half the time. The gaze patterns of the participants were tracked to understand the effects. In Study 2, we conducted an online survey to confirm the findings of Study 1 on a larger scale by asking those with experience interviewing to evaluate interviewees based on interview videos, half of which simulated eye contact. The results of both studies indicate that simulated eye contact had little impact on their evaluation compared to common belief. We discuss how the results motivate future work and how computational approaches to correcting eye gaze can be deceptive.

  PublisherDOI

• How do Software Engineering Candidates Prepare for Technical Interviews?

  2025-06-23 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  To obtain employment, aspiring software engineers must complete technical interviews—a hiring process which involves candidates writing code while communicating to an audience. However, the complexities of tech interviews are difficult to prepare for and seldom faced in computing curricula. To this end, we seek to understand how candidates prepare for technical interviews, investigating the effects of preparation methods and the role of education. We distributed a survey to candidates (n = 131) actively preparing for technical interviews. Our results suggest candidates rarely train in authentic settings and courses fail to support preparation efforts— leading to stress and unpreparedness. Based on our findings, we provide implications for stakeholders to enhance tech interview preparation for candidates pursuing software engineering roles.

  PublisherDOI

• DUET: Exploring Event Visualizations on Timelines

  2025-04-23

  articleSenior author

  Through innovations in sensors and computer vision, event-based temporal data collection has increased significantly in recent years. However, little, if any, research has focused on improving GUIs for these systems. Many applications use a linear timeline, leading to large downtime gaps when there are sparse events. In the meantime, linear timelines benefit from creating a natural sense of temporal perception. Our project seeks to find a balance between the natural temporal perception that linear timelines offer and improving the usability of visualizing event-based data using timelines. Through the exploration of design alternatives, we aim to evaluate different types of timeline visualization through which users can leverage the temporal perception from linear timelines and quickly locate events of interest. We conducted two studies to evaluate our interfaces, first a formative assessment study with specialists and then an experimental study. Our findings inform the design of future event-based timeline visualizations.

  PublisherDOI

• A Study on the Application of Experiential Elements in Domestic Brand Stores Using Pine amp; Gilmore’s Experiential Marketing Theory

  Journal of Cultural Product & Design · 2025-03-30

  article

  이커머스 시장의 편의성과 합리성은 오프라인 매장의 위기를 가져왔으나, 최근 매장이 온·오프라인의 경계를 허문 ‘고객 경험’을 전달할 수 있는 최적의 수단으로 재정의되면서 체험형 매장이 늘어나고 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 다양한 체험형 매장 사례 분석을 통해 체험마케팅 요소의 적용 현황을 도출하고, 이를 기반으로 향후 체험형 매장 설계 시 활용 가능한 기초적인 데이터베이스를 구축 및 제안하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 이를 위해 다양한 문헌고찰을 통해 사례분석의 분석틀 도출을 위해 체험마케팅 요소와 요소별 키워드 도출 및 재정의하고 이를 연구에 활용하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 연구대상지 전반적으로 엔터테인먼트, 교육, 현실도피, 미적 체험 요소 도입 수준은 높았으나, 교육체험의 상호작용성 도입 수준은 상대적으로 낮아 이에 대한 보완이 필요하다. 둘째, 건물 외부에서부터 브랜드 아이덴티티가 연상되는 형태, 색상, 마감재 등을 적극 활용하고, 이를 공간 내부에도 일관되게 적용함으로써 브랜드 인지성 체험이 가능한 환경 구축이 필요하다. 셋째, 다양한 개인 맞춤형 커스터마이징 체험 프로그램 도입을 통해 교육적 체험의 인지성, 엔터테인먼트적 감각성, 유희성이 자극되도록 하며, 이때 체험의 몰입성, 일탈성을 극대화할 수 있도록 공간 디자인 계획을 병행하여야 한다. 마지막으로 온라인 플랫폼 기반 브랜드의 강점은 온오프라인을 매장 내에서 통합한 융합 기술 체험으로, 이러한 기술적 요소를 적극적으로 도입함으로써 쇼루밍적 소비행위에 적극 대응하면서도 브랜드 충성심을 확장하도록 해야 한다.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Georg Essl

  17 shared

• Doug A. Bowman

  16 shared

• Donghan Hu

  Virginia Tech

  10 shared

• Walter S. Lasecki

  8 shared

• Myounghoon Jeon

  Virginia Tech

  8 shared

• Robert F. Speyer

  8 shared

• Md Momen Bhuiyan

  University of Minnesota, Duluth

  7 shared

• Daniel Enriquez

  6 shared