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.
Maya Cakmak is the PI for AccessComputing. She is an associate professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington with a specialization in human-robot interaction. Since arriving at UW in 2013, she has been active with the DO-IT Center through multiple projects, including being a co-PI of the NSF-funded project AccessEngineering and leading several one-week summer workshops in the DO-IT Scholars summer program.
AccessComputing was founded by two leaders with a steadfast commitment to equity and inclusion who recognized the great need for accessible pathways into the dynamic field of computing. By fostering a community that champions diversity, with funding from the National Science Foundation, founders Richard and Sheryl built an organization that has grown and encompassed participants and partners across the United States.
I’m a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan School of Information, 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.
