Melissa Garcia-Rodriguez | May 20, 2026 - Edison, NJ

Crowded expo floors, podcast interviews, and a collaborative team of four from the Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP) and the Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation (CIDI)—oh my! 

This spring, we had the incredible opportunity to represent the Georgia Institute of Technology at the NY Metro Abilities Expo. As we attend more of these events to support our research and outreach, we are constantly reminded that accessibility research isn’t just about data collection or tech innovation, but also about relationships, trust, and community. 

Our interdisciplinary dream team included: 

• Michelle L. Ramsey, Ph.D. — Research Associate I, CIDI 
• Damaris Vela, OTD, MHS, OTR/L — Postdoctoral Fellow, CIDI 
• Karen Milchus — Senior Research Engineer, CIDI 
• Melissa Garcia-Rodriguez — M.S. student in Global Media and Cultures & Graduate Research Assistant, CACP 

Our mission? Recruit participants for our cutting-edge research on workplace accommodation and capture real, raw audio stories for our brand-new podcast, CHIRP. 

Research Recruitment Meets Real-World Connection

The Abilities Expo proved once again to be an invaluable platform for introducing our work directly to the community. We were on the ground recruiting for the Work, Accommodations, Technology Survey (WATS) project. The goal of WATS is to capture the real-world experiences of workplace accommodation and technology use among individuals with physical disabilities across all employment landscapes—from traditional 9-to-5 office roles to the fast-moving gig economy.  

But we weren't just hunting for data points. We spent our days genuinely connecting with attendees, making sure everyone we spoke with knew they were far more than a statistic. Visitors to the Georgia Tech booth were buzzing to share their experiences and help shape data that will pave the way for a more accessible future. We met people who have long respected GT's research, introduced our mission to newcomers, and chatted with many who simply wanted to feel heard. 

On Aging Well: Karen Showcases New Accessibility Tools

On April 30, Karen Milchus pulled double duty by representing both CIDI and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) to present our latest collaborative partnership in developing workplace accommodations.

Specifically, Karen showcased the development of ACCESS for Aging Well, an innovative online and mobile tool app designed to take the guesswork out of accommodation decisions. Her presentation highlighted how rule-based algorithms and structured assessments can pinpoint individualized assistive technology (AT) solutions for older adults, caregivers, and service providers alike.

By synthesizing targeted AT solutions based on an individual’s functional limitations and their specific home environment, the tool neatly bridges the gap between data-backed algorithms and traditional clinical expertise.

You can dive into her study's abstract and findings via the RESNA NY Metro Scientific Paper Platform, where it was featured alongside cutting-edge research on mobile accessibility auditing. The complete interactive presentation, learning objectives, and session agenda are also indexed under the ATIA Course Directory.

Mic Check: Launching the CHIRP Podcast

Inclusive research shouldn't be confined to scientists in a lab—it’s about elevating human voices. We used the expo's lively atmosphere to gather authentic thoughts, opinions, and lived experiences to officially launch the CHIRP podcast (now streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!). 

The podcast serves as a direct pipeline from the convention floor to the public, turning academic inquiry into storytelling that truly resonates. We conducted on-the-ground conversations with attendees to explore how we can make research itself more collaborative and accessible. Hearing how people navigate life with wit, grace, and resilience was deeply inspiring, and we can’t wait to share these episodes with you.

Even Ferrets Have Space in the Workplace?

By the final day of a whirlwind convention, you think you've seen it all—and then the ferrets arrive! In between our collective "ooo’s" and "aaah’s" during an impromptu ferret-holding session, we learned exactly why these small, energetic creatures have a vital place in the disability community. 

As it turns out, ferrets are spectacular at Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT). They love to burrow and lie directly across their owners' chests, shoulders, or laps, which helps lower blood pressure, ground individuals during panic attacks, and alleviate sensory overload. Think of them as a cute, furry, custom-weighted blanket! 

Beyond DPT, they offer incredible tactile grounding for neurodivergent individuals (including those with autism, ADHD, or severe anxiety), helping to redirect negative thoughts and interrupt self-harming behaviors. To top it off, their incredibly sharp sense of smell can be trained to recognize chemical shifts in human sweat, alerting to oncoming seizures, migraines, or blood sugar crashes before they even happen. 

Watching them load back into their stroller was a great reminder of how diverse and unexpected assistive tools can be. If we hadn't been there to learn it firsthand, we never would have known—which is exactly why events like the Abilities Expo matter. 

A Beautiful Reminder of Why We Do This Work

Connecting with people from all walks of life does wonders for the soul. Hearing the community’s appreciation made our team incredibly proud to represent an institute like Georgia Tech that is actively working to build a more accessible world. 

Ultimately, this journey was a beautiful reminder that research is the absolute foundation of meaningful progress. We aren't just researching for a community—we are building the future with them.

• Want to get involved? Sign up or learn more about our ongoing WATS Survey Project Pages. 
• Want to listen? Tune into the latest episodes of the CHIRP podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.