Byron Short Seminar Series

Abstract

Engineering design is increasingly a partnership between humans and intelligent systems. As AI and digital twins become embedded in design workflows, understanding how humans think, communicate, and build trust—in both human and hybrid teams—becomes essential. In this talk, I present a series of studies examining the social and cognitive dynamics that underpin effective collaboration in design. Using behavioral, psychological, and computational analyses, our work explores how cognitive flexibility, psychological safety, and facilitation behaviors shape team performance, and how we can use signals of collaboration to train AI teammates. I will discuss how these principles can guide the development of digital twins and human–AI design agents that act not as tools but as teammates—entities capable of participating in the social-cognitive fabric of design. Together, this work reframes design not just as a creative process, but as an evolving conversation between minds—human and artificial alike.

About the Speaker

Jessica Menold is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering and a co-hire in the Institute for Computational Data Sciences (ICDS) at the Pennsylvania State University. She is the Director of the Technology and Human Research in Engineering Design (THRED) lab, the Director of the Center for Immersive Experiences, and the Director of the Digital Twin Hub at ICDS. Her research focuses on understanding the interactions between emerging technologies, design teams, and designed systems, products, and services. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Airforce Office of Scientific Research, the Department of Homeland Security, the RK Mellon Foundation, and several private industry partners. Her recent work explores interactions between human design teams, digital twins, and AI agents.