Kristen Shinohara

Kristen Shinohara is an Associate Professor at the School of Information within the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences at RIT. She co-directs the CAIR Lab and focuses on designing accessible technologies, supporting disabled graduate students in STEM, and integrating accessibility into computing education. Her research bridges HCI, disability studies, and inclusive design.

Education: BS from University of Puget Sound, MS from University of Washington-Tacoma, PhD from University of Washington-Seattle (2017).

Research Interests: Her work emphasizes social accessibility, exploring how technologies can better support marginalized groups. Key areas include: accessibility in design tools, graduate student barriers in STEM, and curriculum development for inclusive computing education. She co-developed the Design for Social Accessibility (DSA) framework and method cards to guide inclusive design practices.

Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed papers in top venues like CHI and ASSETS, focusing on accessibility challenges and solutions. Recent work addresses AI-assisted UX evaluation, cultural dimensions in accessibility, and barriers faced by visually impaired graduate students.

Awards & Grants: NSF funding for projects empowering disabled graduate students and infusing accessibility into CS curricula. Recognized with Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mentions at CHI and ASSETS conferences.

Advising & Grants: Mentors over 20 graduate and undergraduate students. Leads NSF-funded initiatives to improve accessibility education and support disabled researchers. Collaborates on projects like 'Empowering Disabled Graduate Students in STEM' and 'Teaching Accessibility in Computing.'

Labs & Teams: Co-leads the CAIR Lab, fostering interdisciplinary research on inclusive technology. Active in organizing ASSETS 2025 as General Co-Chair, promoting diversity in accessibility research.