Lili Cheng

Lili Cheng is the Group Manager of the Social Computing Group in Microsoft Research. Lili arrived in MSR back in 1995 as a member of the Virtual Worlds Group. She played a major role in the development of the Virtual Worlds Platform, lead the design and development of HutchWorld a shared space for cancer patients and their support network and she was a key member of the team that created Microsoft V-Chat. Before coming to Microsoft, she worked at Apple Computer in the Human Interface research group on a series of projects that integrated digital video technologies, including QuickTime VR and QuickTime Conferencing (real time, networked, collaboration software enabling data/audio/video communication). Prior to Apple, Lili was at NYU where she designed the user interface for YORB, a program broadcast tri-weekly on Manhattan cable. Using YORB, home viewers could navigate a 3-D world and share personal content and by speaking and using their touch tone telephone. Lili is also a registered architect and has worked for the architecture firm Skidmore Owings and Merrill designing urban, public spaces in both Tokyo and Los Angeles. She continues to participate in this field by guest lecturing at the Harvard Design School and working on projects with the MIT Architecture School.