Maitraye Das

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I am an Assistant Professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University, where I direct the Technology, Equity, and Accessibility Lab. My research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) focuses on making collaboration, content creation, and learning more accessible and equitable for people with disabilities. In this space, I have investigated how accessibility is created and negotiated in the contexts of collaborative writing, creative making, and remote work in ability-diverse teams. I take a community-centered research approach combining in-depth formative studies (e.g., contextual interviews, ethnographic field observations) with iterative system building and evaluation. Some examples of my recent work include developing spoken and non-speech auditory interactions for enhancing accessibility in asynchronous and synchronous collaborative writing, an audio-enhanced loom for accessible weaving, and an audio-tactile system for accessible pattern generation. I draw on Disability Studies literature to critically interrogate what roles technologies play in reshaping group dynamics and redistributing the labor of creating access in ability-diverse teams. More recently, our group has started exploring accessibility of generative AI for blind and low vision people, such as their use contexts and mental models of GenAI tools and alt text for AI-generated images. My research has been recognized with several Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mentions at premier venues including ACM CHI, CSCW, ASSETS, and IEEE COMPSAC, Google Research Scholar Award, the Daniel H. and Carolyn E. Ecroyd Fellowship, a CS PhD Student Research Award and research grants from Northwestern University and the University of Washington. I was selected as a Rising Star in EECS in 2021.

Prior to Northeastern, I was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE) at the University of Washington. I completed my PhD and MS in Technology and Social Behavior (dual degree in Computer Science and Communication) from Northwestern University, where I worked with Darren Gergle and Anne Marie Piper. Previously, I received a BS in Computer Science and Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and worked as a research intern at Microsoft Research and a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at United International University, Bangladesh.

Apart from academic activities, I have always been passionate about music. I also like traveling and roaming around new places. Now and then I try to get a break from my busy schedule and set out for a tour with my friends and family.

Name Pronunciation

Moy-trey-ee (Maitraye) Daash (Das). Maitraye means friendly in Bangla. Click the audio player below to listen to the pronunciation of my name.

Pronouns: She/her

Prospective Students

If you're interested in working with me, visit our lab website for more information. Please fill out this research interest form instead of emailing me. I may not be able to respond to all individual requests, but I will get back to you if there is potentially a good fit.

Recent News

Publications

Please refer to my Google Scholar page for a full list with citations.

Peer-Reviewed Journal and Conference Papers
Book Chapter
Workshops Co-organized
Magazine Articles
Selected Workshop Papers, Posters, and Doctoral Consortia

CV

Click here to download my complete CV

Appointment
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
  • Assistant Professor | Khoury College of Computer Sciences and Department of Art + Design, College of Arts, Media & Design

Education
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
  • PhD in Technology and Social Behavior | August 2022
  • MS in Technology and Social Behavior | March 2021

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
  • BS in Computer Science and Engineering with Honors & Magna cum laude | September 2015

Research Experience
  • Postdoctoral Scholar | Center for Research & Education on Accessible Technology & Experiences (CREATE) and Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering | University of Washington, Seattle, WA | September 2022 - August 2023
    Worked with Heather Feldner, Julie Kientz, Leah Findlater, and James Fogarty, among others
  • Graduate Research Assistant | Northwestern University | Advised by Darren Gergle and Anne Marie Piper | Fall 2017 - Summer 2022
  • Research Intern | Ability Team, Microsoft Research, USA | Summer 2020
  • Graduate Researcher | Northwestern University | Mentored by Brent Hecht | Fall 2017 - Summer 2018
  • Researcher | Western Washington University, USA | Mentored by Moushumi Sharmin and Shameem Ahmed | Summer 2017
  • Undergraduate Researcher | Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology | Advised by Tanzima Hashem | 2014 - 2017

Awards, Honors, & Grants
  • Google Research Scholar Award ($60,000) | Human-Computer Interaction | 2024
  • Postdoc Research Award ($10,000) | Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington | 2022-23
  • Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training (ARRT) Postdoctoral Fellowship | UW Center for Research & Education on Accessible Technology & Experiences | Funding: NIDILRR | 2022-23
  • Invited article in Communications of the ACM Research Highlights | 2022
  • Donald H. and Carolyn E. Ecroyd Fellowship | Dept of Communication Studies, Northwestern University | 2022
  • Rising Star in EECS | Organized by Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2021
  • Best Paper Award | ACM CSCW 2021
  • Recognition for Contribution to Diversity & Inclusion (Paper) | ACM CSCW 2021
  • Best Paper Nomination | ACM ASSETS 2021
  • PhD Student Research Award | Dept of CS, Northwestern University | 2021
  • Dissertation Research Grant | Northwestern University | 2021 ($1,500)
  • Graduate Research Grant | Northwestern University | 2021-22 ($2,999)
  • Finalist (top 20) | Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship 2020
  • Best Paper Honorable Mention Award | ACM CHI 2020
  • Best Paper Honorable Mention Award | ACM CSCW 2019
  • Special Recognition for Outstanding Review | ACM CHI (6 times), ACM CSCW (2 times), ACM DIS
  • Conference Travel Grant | Northwestern University | 2018-2022 (~$6,000)
  • Best Paper Award | IEEE COMPSAC 2018
  • Student Travel Grant | ACM UbiComp 2018 ($600)
  • Student Scholarship | Grace Hopper Celebration 2018
  • Best Undergraduate Thesis Award | Computer Science and Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology | 2015
  • Best Technical Poster | Grace Hopper Celebration India 2014
  • Student Scholarship | Grace Hopper Celebration India 2014
  • Dean’s List Award | Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology | 2011 - 2015
  • University Merit Scholarship | Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology | 2011 - 2014

Teaching Experience
  • Northeastern University, Khoury College of Computer Sciences | Fall 2024
    Instructor, CS 7390 - Special Topics in Human-Centered Computing (Accessible Technology Design)
  • Northeastern University, Department of Art + Design, CAMD | Spring 2024
    Instructor, ARTG 6600 - Experience Design Studio 2 (Section on Design and Accessibility)
  • Northwestern University, Department of Computer Science/ Communication Studies | Winter 2022
    Teaching Assistant in COMP_SCI 314/ COMM_ST 351 - Technology and Human Interaction
  • United International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh | October 2015 - March 2017
    Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
    Courses taught: Digital Logic Design (theory and lab), Computer Architecture, Electrical Circuits, Assembly Programming Language

Contact

Northeastern University
Khoury College of Computer Sciences
Room # 923, 177 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115, USA

ma [dot] das [at] northeastern [dot] edu

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