Hi, I'm Shalini! 👋 (she/her)
shalinii [at] umich [dot] edu
Hi, I'm Shalini! 👋 (she/her)
shalinii [at] umich [dot] edu
I'm a graduate student at the University of Michigan's School of Information, advised by Dr. Venkatesh Potluri.
I have an undergraduate degree in Interaction Design, and my research lies at the intersection of accessibility, human-computer interaction (HCI), and generative AI.Â
A core strand of my research investigates the accessibility of genAI platforms, including conversational agents and low-code tools, for blind and visually impaired (BVI) users.Â
My work combines usability testing, heuristics, participatory design, and ethnography, focusing on the experiences of BLVI users with emerging AI.Â
I’m also interested in how accessibility, policy, and no-code AI agent tools can evolve to reflect the needs of neurodivergent and BLVI communities.Â
Currently, my research focuses on designing accessibility evaluation frameworks for conversational AI and vibe coding tools, for more inclusive futures in computing.
July 30, 2025: My first Poster submission was accepted at ASSETS 2025! I’ll be presenting in Denver this October.Â
May 27, 2025: I recently joined Harvard University as a UX Research Intern at the Harvard Library, where I’m working on accessibility-focused projects in the digital library space.Â
May 08, 2025: I am now part of IDEA Lab, led by Dr. Venkatesh Potluri, where I contribute to research at the intersection of generative AI and accessibility.Â
May 08, 2025: I am officially part of the Master’s Thesis Option Pathway (MTOP) at the University of Michigan School of Information.Â
May 02, 2025: I received a scholarship to attend the 2025 Neurodiversity at Work Research Conference at Carnegie Mellon University, held from May 20–21.