Palashi Vaghela

Palashi Vaghela is an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair for Technological Inclusion at Simon Fraser University's School of Interactive Arts and Technology. She holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from Cornell University. Her research focuses on caste, gender, and computing, challenging normative narratives in technology through ethnographic and qualitative methods. She previously served as a President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC San Diego.

• Education: B.Tech from DA-IICT, M.S. and Ph.D. in Information Science from Cornell University
• Key Research: Investigates caste and gender dynamics in Indian IT industries, digital infrastructures, and tech cultures

Her work bridges STS, Feminist Studies, and Computing to address systemic inequities. Awards include the Canada Research Chair and Best Paper/Diversity Awards. She has collaborated with organizations like Microsoft Research and IBM Quantum.

Service & Advocacy: Advisory roles for Bahujan Scholars, UC Collective for Caste Abolition, and anti-caste initiatives like the Anti-Caste Archive Fellowship. Active in diversity and inclusion advocacy within academia and tech sectors.