Student Profile: Bruna Oewel Fashions Future Mental Health Technology

Bruna Oewel weaves together her initial interests in design and fashion with in-depth research on mental health technology. A doctoral candidate in health informatics at UC Irvine Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS), Oewel will graduate in September 2026. Her doctoral research examines user engagement with digital mental health interventions, with a focus on often invisible cognitive, emotional, and behavioral work that happens outside of technology. She has published in human-computer interaction venues, such as the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), and has contributed to the design and development of emerging technologies in industry.

At UC Irvine, Oewel has mentored students in qualitative research methods and is an active member of the Latine community. Recently, she was honored with a Graduate Student Excellence in Research Award at the UC Irvine Latine Excellence & Achievement Dinner (LEAD). As a first-generation graduate student, she hopes to continue giving back to the Latine community in Latin America and across the United States.

Oewel reflects on her time at ICS:

What brought you to UC Irvine ICS? What and where did you study before?

I decided I wanted to become a researcher in health informatics after my master of design (MDes), and UC Irvine kept coming up in conversations as one of the strongest places for this kind of interdisciplinary research.

I completed my undergraduate degree in textiles and fashion back in Brazil, where I was born and raised. After working in the industry for a few years, I wanted to expand my career into other forms of design, and studying abroad sounded like the right challenge at that stage. I joined the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan for an MDes in Integrative Design.

That experience completely changed my perspective on what design and research (and design research!) means. Through collaborations with researchers at the School of Information, I decided to apply for a PhD in health informatics to continue some of the work I was doing that combined human-centered design, healthcare, and technology, which ultimately led me to pursue a PhD in health informatics at UC Irvine ICS.

Although solving technical problems can be very rewarding, what I found most meaningful was understanding people’s experiences and designing technology around real-life human needs and contexts.

What sparked your interest in informatics?

What sparked my interest in informatics was the opportunity to work with technology and, most importantly, with people at the same time. I knew I was interested in design and technology, but what fascinated me the most about those two things was the human side: how we do things, how we think, and what we feel. Although solving technical problems can be very rewarding, what I found most meaningful was understanding people’s experiences and designing technology around real-life human needs and contexts. I also learned that I have grown the most as a researcher and a person while collaborating with others and learning from different perspectives.

How would you describe your research on human-computer interaction? What is the real-world impact

Through my research, I want to understand how we can better design and evaluate mental health technologies to support not only interactions with the interface, but also the experiences that happen in everyday life.

My research examines user engagement with digital mental health interventions, with a focus on the often invisible cognitive, emotional, and behavioral work that happens outside of technology. I study how people learn about and practice mental health skills through technology and apply those skills in their daily life, reflect on their experiences, and engage with mental health support beyond technology itself.

ICS is renowned for its academics and research, but the people are what truly make this experience memorable.

What has been most memorable about your time at ICS?

Definitely the sense of community and, of course, my peers, many of whom became close friends. ICS is renowned for its academics and research, but the people are what truly make this experience memorable. ICS has an exceptional collaborative environment, and I constantly have interactions with people from very different backgrounds, which allows me to push myself to think differently and grow intellectually. The most memorable moments are the small everyday conversations, brainstorming, and supporting each other.

How do you feel about being awarded a Latine Excellence and Achievement Dinner (LEAD) Award?

I felt SO honored to receive a LEAD Award. Latinx excellence is everywhere, and we are constantly thriving in different fields. But recognition still matters because it reinforces that we also bring valuable expertise to our work.

As a researcher in digital mental health, I believe our lived experiences and different perspectives can help shape how technologies are designed, especially in areas where Latinx communities have historically been underserved. For me, this award is meaningful because it highlights the importance of having more diverse voices contributing to research.

Do you have any advice for current or future ICS Anteaters?

There will never be a better time to build your network than while you are at ICS! And by “building your network,” I do not mean only professional networking. I mean building genuine relationships with your peers, mentors, and the UC Irvine community.

Be an active participant in the ICS community, as well as UC Irvine in general. Attend talks from visiting researchers, go to your TA’s office hours, ask questions to your professor in class, and even get involved in some of their research that interests you. You build your future by consistently showing up, staying curious, and making small connections over time. Those small seeds can grow into friendships, mentorships, and collaborations in the future.

– Tonya Becerra