July 2026 MMLI Community Spotlight

Kate’s UIX contributions to NSF MMLI’s software suite have been recognized internationally through publication of case studies showcasing the user-centered development process of the AlphaSynthesis suite. Her award-winning paper, “Toward More Usable, Reproducible, and Sustainable Scientific Software: The Impact of User-Centered Design in Research Software Development” (Arneson, Fu, & Gatzke; Best Paper Award, Platform for Advanced Scientific Computing, 2025), demonstrates how user-centered design practices can improve the usability, reproducibility, and sustainability of scientific software.

Beyond NSF MMLI, Kate’s UIX experience extends across scientific specialties including genomics, healthcare, biology, chemistry, and biofoundry applications. Before joining NCSA, she worked at Mayo Clinic supporting cancer clinical trials and at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) contributing to projects involving visualization, statistical analysis, and computational methods. This interdisciplinary background informs her approach to UX research and design, allowing her to better understand the unique needs of research teams and empower users with tools designed around their workflows. 

My undergraduate background is in mathematics and studio art, and I spent several years working in math and stats research, as well as graphic design, before returning to school for a certificate in user experience and then joining the team at NCSA!

Within MMLI, I support the AlphaSynthesis effort by collaborating with research teams and scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to create user-friendly software solutions.

Most recently, I’ve been working on the Open Enzyme Database and CLEAN Database tools.

I enjoy being able to learn new things every day and tackle complex data and design challenges. The researchers and scientists we work with within MMLI are incredibly knowledgeable, and it’s exciting to contribute to software solutions that reflect both scientific innovation and end user needs and workflows.

Some of my favorite things to do outside of work are playing tennis, biking, and hanging out with my dog, Riley!

When I’m not designing, you can find me on the tennis court or tossing a frisbee at the beach with my dog, Riley – I also like to do puzzles with her! She’s very smart and enjoys obstacle courses and sniffing out toys and treats hidden around the house.

The best way to see my other recent work to may be to check out NCSA’s research software page.

_{*Kate also has a personal website with featured projects.}

With more than 15 years of experience in marketing, communications, and public relations, Autumn brings a unique perspective and skill set to refine MMLI’s brand and expand its communications efforts. Over the past decade, she has consulted with the public sector on initiatives including winning elections to secure funding for public schools, planning labor rights workshops, and organizing international delegations. Through this work, Autumn developed the ability to translate complex topics into clear, engaging messages for diverse audiences.

You may have already benefited from her work locally in Urbana-Champaign: Autumn was the Marketing Manager at the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District MTD for more than five years, where she contributed to a range of initiatives, including the promotion of their nationally recognized zero-emissions program. She helped translate a complex clean-energy innovation into a compelling story for community leaders, policymakers, and industry partners, bringing visibility to MTD’s solar-powered hydrogen production facility and zero-emission bus fleet. Her communications helped engage key stakeholders, including federal and state leaders, contributing to increased awareness, expanded federal funding, and recognition from the Federal Transit Administration, which honored MTD’s climate action plan with its “Most Innovative” award.

I’ve focused my career on mission-driven projects supporting public organizations and non-profits with values aligned with my own, such as public education, environmental sustainability, civic engagement, social justice, equity & accessibility.

I’ve worked broadly across the marketing, communications, and public relations landscape to cultivate a diverse project portfolio. I’ve been lucky to have so many unique opportunities to help organizations connect with their audiences through storytelling, branding, community engagement, digital communications.

As Communications Manager I support several of Professor Zhao’s institutes, splitting 50% NSF MMLI and 50% NIBA, NSF iBioFoundry, and NSF GCBA.

My work includes strategic communications, storytelling, website management, publications, social media, branding, and media relations – and for my work with MMLI, I will focus all of that experience on making complex scientific research more accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

The most fundamental thing about my role is that I am here to promote the science. When there’s a new development – whether it’s a publication, conference appearance, speaking engagement, grant award, outreach event, or honored recognition – the story needs to be told, and I am the person for the job. I genuinely LOVE sharing the success of others and helping humble people brag about the important ways they’re contributing to the world.

While working at MTD, I had the opportunity to help introduce their award-winning zero-emissions program, which required translating the science and technology to the general public, promoting the program’s innovation across the industry, and engaging policymakers and funding entities. I found that I thoroughly enjoyed presenting the complexity of this program in an accessible and captivating way, helping to debunk myths about hydrogen fuel, build trust in the technology, expand use by peers, and attract funding for advancement. I wanted to do more of that and communicating the real-world impact of AI-enabled research felt like a natural segue into expanding my work in science communication.

You’re very likely to find me in perched on a log painting with watercolors while my kids play in the park, sitting with my sketchbook in a coffee shop (highly recommend Rick’s in Urbana), backpacking in solitude on remote trails, or lugging my 600mm beast of a camera lens through a nature preserve to photograph birds. When I’m not doing that, I enjoy giving back through community organizing and mutual aid.

I studied classical Arabic in college (under my minor in Middle Eastern Studies) and took a semester off to live in Morocco, where I (poorly) practiced my French and Arabic skills. All these years later, I am still not fluent, but I have a vacation home in Cairo, Egypt which offers an opportunity to occasionally nurture my withering Arabic skills.

I am finishing up Tad Stoermer’s new book, A Resistance History of the United States. He uses historical events as case studies to explore the principles of resistance movements, so far it’s a fascinating read!