My name is Kirk Crawford (he/him/his), and I’m a Ph.D. candidate in the Human-Centered Computing (HCC) Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and a researcher at the Designing Participatory Futures Lab (DARE). I’m advised by Dr. Foad Hamidi.
For more information about my academic and industry experience, please see my 📃CV.
Learn more about me:
Read my bio (coming soon!)
Portfolio (coming soon!)
Need to reach me?
Email is the best way: 📧 **[email protected]** or [email protected]
Virtual Meetups W/ Kirk - Kirk Crawford
My research explores how technology can better support the relationships and communication practices of disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ individuals. I employ participatory design methods to collaborate with members of these communities, investigating how they co-create communication strategies. My work focuses on how intimacy, interdependence, and identity influence their preferences and practices. Ultimately, my goal is to empower marginalized groups as designers and to inform a rethinking of technology design that centers their lived experiences and addresses the specific, co-created needs of their relationships.
| October 2025 | ASSETS Workshop - ASSETS 2025
“Disability Intimacy in HCI: Defining a Community-Driven Research Agenda” | | --- | --- | | April 2025 | Peer-Reviewed Publication - CHI 2025
“Like a Love Language”: Understanding Communication in Disabled LGBTQIA+ Romantic Relationships | | October 2024 | Accepted Poster - ASSETS 2024
Co-designing a 3D-Printed Tactile Campus Map With Blind and Low-Vision University Students | | May 2024 | Peer-Reviewed Publication - W4A 2024
Decoding the Privacy Policies of Assistive Technologies |