The Computing Research Association's Distributed Research Experience for Undergraduates (DREU) is a program that supports summer research experiences for undergraduate students from groups that are underrepresented in the computing field, which includes students with disabilities. AccessComputing has been partnering with this program for years to pair up team members with a variety of computing labs and faculty mentors.
This year, I had the opportunity to participate in the Computing Research Association’s Distributed Research Experience for Undergraduates (DREU) through AccessComputing. I have been involved in AccessComputing since my sophomore year, attending the CS@UW+AccessComputing research workshop in the spring of 2019. Prior to my participation in this workshop, I never thought of research as a viable path for me.Â
In March of 2018, I attended the Computing Research Association (CRA) Graduate Cohort Workshop for Underrepresented Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in San Diego, California. AccessComputing was one of the workshop’s sponsors.
I am blind, a father of three daughters, a non-traditional student, and a senior at University of Maryland (UMD), College Park majoring in information science at the UMD iSchool hoping to specialize in human-computer interaction in graduate studies. I value education not only in the practical sense but also for how it shapes me as a person and allows me to contribute to our society.
I’m a PhD candidate at the , and I identify as being neurodivergent. The key to my success has been an unyielding focus on scholarship, service, and self-care.
I am currently a Ph.D. student in human-centered computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I chose to pursue this degree when I discovered that I could combine my passion for scientific discovery with my love of engineering. My undergraduate degree is in electrical engineering, which allowed me to work with my hands and build new technologies. Now, I apply those skills to create and study new computing devices for learning and rehabilitation.
Ohio’s STEM Ability Alliance (OSAA) at Wright State University (WSU) was funded by the program to address the underrepresentation of individuals with disabilities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Beginning in 2009, this program undertook interventions to recruit, retain, and graduate students with disabilities in STEM. These interventions include academic and professional development as well as interventions inspired by research showing the importance of social dynamics and feelings of inclusion.
