I'm Dr. Kamala!
I'm a computer science engineer turned human-computer interaction researcher, seeking ways to use technology as a medium to solve societal issues while centering lived human experiences throughout the research and design process. My technical background and expertise in diverse research methodologies uniquely position me at the intersection of UX research and technology.
My research positionality is a culmination of my educational background & career, my interests in user research and design, and who I am as a human - desiring to meaningfully contribute towards the design of technological systems that can positively impact the lives of people who are truly in need.
News
2024
July: I successfully defended my Ph.D. dissertation and became Dr. Kamala!
June: Our workshop, Caring for Reproductive Justice: Design in Response to Adversity, was accepted at CSCW ‘24.
May: I started working as a UX Researcher for Google (via User Research International).
March: I have been connecting with people on ADPList, let's chat!
2023
November: Three of the eight CHI ‘24 papers I reviewed received special recognition for outstanding reviews.
May: I will be joining Google NYC this summer as a UX Research Intern.
March: I was awarded the Gary Marsden Travel Award by SIGCHI and Penn State Global Graduate Student Travel Grant to support my travel to CHI ‘23. I will be attending CHI ‘23 in Hamburg, Germany, as a Student Volunteer.
February: My position paper, Navigating Trauma and Healing: From Pregnancy Loss to Motherhood, was accepted at the Collective Healing to Support Design Futures workshop, CHI ‘23.
January: I started volunteering as a Data and Research Contributor at FemHealth Insights. Check out my article Endometriosis: Impacts & 4 Innovations to Know About.
2022
October: I passed my Comprehensive exam, defending my dissertation proposal. I am officially ABD (All but Dissertation). I was also featured in the Women’s Health Research Cluster Blog, Behind the Science: Designing for Pregnancy After Loss, With and Through Technology.
June: I joined Cisco as a UX Research Intern this summer. I also presented my poster Re-imagining FemTech: A Design Research Approach to Women’s Health Informatics at HCIC ‘22.
May: I was one of the two researchers selected by the Penn State School of IST to attend HCIC ‘22.
January: I was selected to participate in the CRA-WP Grad Cohort for Women ‘22.
2021
October: I was one of the publicity student Volunteers at UIST ‘21. Checkout our blog post here.
August: I won the CSCW ‘21 student volunteer postcard design competition.
May: I passed my Qualifying Exam. I am officially a Ph.D. candidate!
2020
August: I transferred to a fully funded Ph.D. program in Informatics (Human Computer Interaction), at The Pennsylvania State University.
May: I started working as a Graduate Research Assistant at the CRIT lab.
2019
August: I started my Masters in Human Computer Interaction and Design at Indiana University.