Graduate Student
Wilkenfeld

Nan Wilkenfeld explores Human-Machine Communication in both personal and professional contexts, focusing on how interpersonal interactions with technologies shape broader social and organizational trends. Her research examines the dynamics of power, agency, and decision-making in these interactions, offering insights into the evolving role of intelligent systems in everyday life.

Bio

Nan Wilkenfeld is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in Human-Machine Communication (HMC). Her interdisciplinary research explores the complex interactions between humans and emerging technologies, with a focus on agency, power dynamics, and synchrony in human-robot collaboration. Nan’s work bridges interpersonal and organizational communication theories to deepen our understanding of how people navigate and negotiate their relationships with intelligent systems, such as exoskeletons and conversational agents. 

Her published research appears in top-tier journals, including Frontiers in Robotics and AI and Human-Machine Communication, addressing key issues such as authenticity in human-machine relationships and institutional logics in technology adoption. In addition to her research, Nan is passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of scholars, guiding students through courses on human behavior and communication in digital contexts. 

She is also the social media manager for the Human Machine Communication Interest Group at ICA. 

Education

M.A. Communication; M.B.A. (2014) University of North Carolina, Charlotte