I am an associate professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University. I am also director of the CIS Undergraduate Program and director of the Universal Usability Laboratory. I can be reached:

Via phone at 410-704-2255
Via fax at 410-704-3868
Via e-mail at jlazar at towson.edu

I am involved in teaching and research in the area of human-computer interaction. Specifically, I am interested in web usability, web accessibility, user-centered design, assistive technology, and public policy in the area of CHI. I also currently serve as the National Chair of the SIGCHI US Public Policy Committee

Summary of my activities:

I have published 4 books. The two most recent books are:
Web Usability: A User-Centered Design Approach (published by Addison-Wesley)
and Universal Usability: Designing Computer Interfaces for Diverse User Populations , a book that I edited, which is available from John Wiley and Sons.

I regularly publish in journals and conference proceedings, including the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Behaviour and Information Technology, and Interacting with Computers. I also regularly present tutorials on topics related to human-computer interaction, including tutorials on Introduction to HCI, and Web Usability. I currently serve as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Informatics Education and Research. My research has been highlighted in articles in the Baltimore Sun and the Louisville Courier-Journal. Please contact me for copies of these articles. Also, you can read more about the current work with National Federation of the Blind on the Towson web site. I have served on program committees for the SIGCHI, ASSETS, SIGDOC, INTERACT, and HCII conferences.

Last updated October 24, 2007