John Gaspar

Staff UX Researcher & Cognitive Neuroscientist
PhD, Experimental Psychology

Intro

A little about me.

Staff UX Researcher and Cognitive Neuroscientist with a track record of shaping product strategy, hardware usability, and human-AI interaction for flagship wearable and AI ecosystems at Meta Reality Labs and Google. Combines deep experimental rigor with modern AI tooling—building deterministic analysis pipelines, scalable feedback synthesis, and telemetry-joined insights engines. Adept at partnering with design and engineering teams to translate complex quantitative and qualitative signals into compelling narratives, interactive dashboards, and strategic tools that guide executive decisions from early concept through large-scale deployment.

Expertise

Core capabilities.
01

UX Research & Hardware Usability

Comprehensive pre- and post-launch research strategy for consumer hardware portfolios. Experienced in evaluating wearability, optics, heuristics, and OOBE/NUX workflows across large-scale field studies and internal dogfooding programs.

02

AI Workflows & Tooling

Designing autonomous agentic workflows, reproducible analysis pipelines, and context-aware intelligence tools that join multi-channel user feedback with product telemetry to automate launch readiness metrics.

03

Advanced Quantitative Methods & Data Science

Proficient in frequentist and Bayesian statistics, multivariate inference, MaxDiff, and Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC). Skilled at triangulating datasets at scales ranging from n < 10 deep qualitative studies to n > 40k quantitative surveys.

04

Cognitive Neuroscience & EEG

Deep expertise in electroencephalography (EEG/ERP), eye-tracking, and cognitive-behavioral testing, specializing in attentional control, working memory, and visual distraction in human performance.

05

Cross-Functional Leadership & Mentorship

Proven track record of managing research functions, building durable insights engines aligned with company-level OKRs, and mentoring IC researchers across engineering, industrial design, and product management.

Highlighted Interviews and Media Relations

Articles on my research.

Professional Appointments

Places I've worked.
2024 – present

Meta

Staff UX Researcher, Reality Labs

Seattle, WA, USA

  • Lead and design comprehensive pre- and post-launch research as team pod lead, overseeing 20+ concurrent XR hardware programs.
  • Ensure learnings continuously feed the product development cycle, having seen the launch of multiple in-market Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta AI glasses.
  • Establish robust insights engines tracking launch readiness, longitudinal dogfooding experiences, device usability, early prototype heuristics, and OOBE/NUX workflows.
  • Develop robust, deterministic AI workflows that effectively tie multi-channel user feedback with telemetry, internal bug reporting systems, and software builds to inform executive PDP gate decisions on launch readiness.

2019 – 2024

Google

Senior UXR Manager, Pixel Hardware

Supervisor: Nazneen; Michael Lin

San Francisco, CA, USA

  • Lead a team of highly-skilled FTE UXRs in conducting end-to-end user research that connects attitudinal measures with both behavioral and business metrics.
  • Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams that include designers, engineers, and product managers to convert research into meaningful recommendations, best practices, and product advancements.
  • Oversee the design, analysis, and dissemination of research studies on both small (n < 10) and large (n > 40k) samples.
  • Develop roadmaps and iterative research programs that support stakeholder needs and are in line with company- and org-level OKRs.
  • Possess advanced knowledge in advanced survey methodologies (e.g. Maxdiff, CBC), graphic design, data visualization, dashboarding, and video editing.
  • Have received 35 peer recognition (gThanks) awards for going above and beyond.

2018 – 2019

Google

Contracted through Adecco

UX Researcher, Google AR (Previously Daydream)

Supervisor: Dan Odell

Mountain View, CA, USA

  • Executed analysis and interpreted findings for over 20 quantitative and qualitative studies in a year and a half, turning raw data into narrative-driven deliverables (e.g., reports, decks, videos, dashboards) with high-level insights and actionable key takeaways.
  • Introduced statistical research methodologies to management and stakeholders that are now widely employed by UX researchers across the org.
  • Authored and published an academic manuscript on my very first Google study!

2016 – 2018

Center for the Mind & Brain

Postdoctoral Scholar

Supervisor: Steve Luck

Davis, CA, USA

  • Worked with the preeminent scientist in the field to produce high-impact research publications on visual attention and distraction.
  • Led the design, implementation, piloting, recruitment, running, and analysis of highly technical behavioral, EEG, and eye-tracking research studies both on undergraduate and clinical populations.
  • Oversaw the honours programme of an undergraduate student and the hiring/management of several research assistants.

Education

Places I've learned.
2012 – 2016

Simon Fraser University

Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive and Neural Studies

Advisory committee: John McDonald, Urs Ribary, Mario Liotti

Burnaby, BC, Canada

  • Thesis: Mechanisms of attentional processing during visual search: how distraction is handled by the brain

2009 – 2012

Simon Fraser University

Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive and Neural Studies

Advisory committee: John McDonald, Urs Ribary

Burnaby, BC, Canada

  • Thesis: Within- versus cross-dimensional capture in fixed-feature visual search

2005 – 2009

Simon Fraser University

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Burnaby, BC, Canada
2000 – 2001

University of British Columbia

Certificate in Internet Publishing

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Publications

Papers I've published in academic journals.

Awards

Funding and kudos I've received.

2024-2026

Meta #thanks Peer Recognition Awards (81 Total)


2019-2024

Google gThanks Awards: Kudos (4), Peer Bonus (23), Spot Bonus (7)


2017

Vision Sciences Society 17th Annual Meeting Graphics Competition ($350)


2014-2016

Postgraduate Scholarship - Doctoral, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ($42,000)


2014

Ph.D. Graduate Fellowship, Simon Fraser University ($6,250)


2013

Graduate Student Research Award, Simon Fraser University ($12,500)


2013

Ph.D. Graduate Fellowship, Simon Fraser University ($3,125)


2012

Canadian Psychological Association Certificate of Academic Excellence


2012

British Columbia Psychological Association Graduate Medal in Psychology


2012

M.A. Graduate Fellowship, Simon Fraser University ($6,250)


2010

M.A. Graduate Fellowship, Simon Fraser University ($6,250)


2009

Special Graduate Entrance Scholarship, Simon Fraser University ($7,000)


2008

Undergraduate Student Research Award, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ($4,500)