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Several AccessComputing Team Members completed their PhDs in 2024. Congratulations to each of them on this important milestone in their careers! Below are team members who announced their graduation and let us know a bit about what their futures hold: 

Alex Cabral, PhD in Computer Science, Harvard University

Dr. Cabral’s dissertation title was Rethinking Quality Metrics for Low-Cost Urban Environmental Sensor Networks. Dr. Cabral has accepted a postdoctoral position with the Ka Moamoa Lab in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech University. Her research interests include environmental sensing, urban sensing, community engagement, and urban and environmental informatics. 

Jay Cunningham, PhD in Human Centered Design and Engineering, ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´

Dr. Cunningham’s dissertation was titled Methods of Designing Justice-Oriented Interactive AI Systems. Dr. Cunningham is currently traveling abroad on a ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ Bonderman Fellowship. On his fellowship, he is retracing the transatlantic slave trade through the Global South and connecting with the rich history, culture, and traditions of Benin and Ghana in West Africa; Brazil in Latin America; and Jamaica, Barbados, and surrounding Caribbean islands to—among other goals—gain a deeper understanding of Black diasporic history and culture extending from West Africa to the Americas. His research interests include fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics in tech/AI, critical race theory in human-computer interactions, interaction techniques, ubiquitous computing, and user experience research (UX/UI). 

Until his graduation, Dr. Cunningham served as a student regent on the Board of Regents for the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´.

Mara Kirdani-Ryan, PhD in Computer Science & Engineering, ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´

Dr. Kirdani-Ryan’s dissertation was titled Identity Fragmentation in Post-Secondary Computing Education.They are an assistant teaching professor with the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ Information School. Dr. Kirdani-Ryan’s research interests include culture and society, and they are currently exploring how to deepen critical computing engagements in students' technical coursework through counternarratives with a focus on manifestations of white supremacy.

Maciej Kos, PhD in Personal Health Informatics, Northeastern University

Dr. Kos’ dissertation topic was on digital biomarkers of cognitive health: unobtrusive monitoring of cognitive changes using smartphones. Dr. Kos is working as a postdoctoral research fellow at Northeasten University’s Center for Cognitive and Brain Health. His research interests include extending healthspan and amplifying cognition through technology-enabled interventions and scientific discovery. 

Avery Mack, PhD in Computer Science, ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´

Dr. Mack’s dissertation was titled Understanding, Designing, and Building Adaptable Technology for Fluctuating Accessibility Needs in Group Settings. Dr. Mack is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´. Their research interests include disability representation in AI, AI applications for accessibility, accessible interfaces, and accessible research methods. 

Emma McDonnell, PhD in Human Centered Design and Engineering, ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´

Dr. McDonnell’s dissertation focused on reimagining communication access as something that d/Deaf and hard of hearing people create together; her work focused on designing interventions that could guide hearing people towards adopting more accessible norms. Dr. McDonnell is a National Library of Medicine postdoctoral fellow with the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Education at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ School of Medicine. Her research interests include studying how disability community, activist