Blog Posts:
I am recruiting students interested in HCI, ICTD, and Accessibility research. Email me to know more!
I am (soon-to-be) an Assistant Professor at Cornell University and a Visiting Researcher at Microsoft Research. My research focuses on using computing to achieve social good of people in low-resource environments. This encompasses: 
  1. Building novel computing systems for ​low-literate people, rural residents, and people with disabilities;  
  2. Systematizing factors that impact their use of technology;
  3. Deploying systems in real-world settings to facilitate their socioeconomic development.

More broadly, my work lies at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), ICT & Development (ICTD), and Accessibility. Given the interdisciplinary nature of global development, my research spans several disciplinary boundaries, such as computer science, information science, global health, agriculture, disability studies, and others. 

​My research is generously supported by Microsoft, Facebook, USAID, PATH, Humanity United, Access Now, and others. My work has transitioned into large-scale, real-world products that have reached an estimated 220,000 people in Africa and South Asia. 

I recently completed a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, where I remain a Visiting Researcher in the ICTD Lab. 

background Layer 1 Build Systematize Deploy Toolkit to Build Voice Forums IVR Junction [NSDR'12] Systems for Indigenous Citizen Journalism [DEV'14] Communities Civic Engagement [ICTD'13] Social Media Platforms Low-Income Rural Residents [CHI'15] Crowdsourcing Marketplaces Low-Income Students [CHI'17] Blind People [CHI'18] Rural Residents [CHI'19] Computing for Maternal Health Examining Reach and Spread [ICTD'16] Examining Localization Approaches [DIS'17] Reducing Response Bias in Evaluations [CHI'18] Educational Content for Blind People [DEV'14] Ag Market Info Systems [ICTD'19] Security & Privacy Risks [COMPASS'19] Multilingualism [CHI'18] Incentives, Mechanisms, and Mediums for Sharing Monetary Incentives [CSCW'15] Crowd Mobilization [INTERACT'15] Use and Non-Use of Systems Blind People [ASSETS'15, CHI'18] Low-Income Women [CHI'19] Research focus diagram inspired by Professor Bjöern Hartmann
​RECENT NEWS
  • Aug 2019: Completed a doctorate in Computer Science and Engineering at UW! 
  • May 2019: Our two papers got accepted at COMPASS 2019. Looking forward to visiting Accra!
  • Dec 2018: Our two papers got accepted at CHI 2019. Looking forward to visiting Glasgow! 
  • Sep 2018: Our paper, Fresh Insights: User Research Towards a Market Information Service for Bihari Vegetable Farmers, is accepted at ICTD 2019.  
  • Jun 2018: Honored to be a finalist for the 2018 Graduate School Medal award! Thank you UW!
  • Mar 2018: Our paper, Examining Security and Privacy Research in Developing Regions, is accepted at COMPASS 2018. 
  • Dec 2017: Our three papers got accepted at CHI 2018. Looking forward to visiting Montreal! 
  • Apr 2017: Honored to receive the 2017 University of Washington College of Engineering Graduate Research Award. 
  • Mar 2017: Our paper, Examining Localization Approaches for Community Health, is accepted at DIS 2017. 
  • Feb 2017: Our paper, Respeak: A Voice-based, Crowed-powered Speech Transcription System, has received an Honorable Mention award at CHI 2017.  ​​
TRAVEL 
Microsoft Research 
Sep–Dec
Redmond, USA
Bangalore, India

Cornell University 
Oct
Ithaca, NY

Facebook
Sep
Menlo Park, USA
​
MSR Faculty Summit
July
Redmond, USA

CHI 2019
May
Glasgow, UK

Wadhwani AI
Apr
Mumbai, India

Microsoft Research 
Apr
Bangalore, India

University of Maryland
Mar
College Park, USA

Microsoft Research 
Mar
Redmond, USA

Cornell University
Mar
Ithaca, USA

Penn State University
Mar
State College, USA

UC Irvine
Mar
Irvine, USA

Simon Fraser University
Feb
Vancouver, Canada

UMass Amherst
Feb
Amherst, USA