Hello! 👋 and Namaste! 🙏 

I am Kartik, an aspiring researcher interested in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience (UX) Research.

I am a Research Associate (RA) at the Centre for Accessibility in the Global South (CAGS) at the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-B). I recently completed my MS (Research)  in IT & Society from IIIT-B where I worked with Prof. Preeti Mudliar. My thesis research examined online commerce adoption in textile bazaars of Surat. My work looked at WhatsApp reselling practices by small-scale sellers in local marketplaces of Surat, Gujarat. I use ethnographic and qualitative research methods with fieldwork immersion.

I completed my B.Tech in Electronics and Computer Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology in 2021.

I am looking forward to working on contemporary problems within HCI and am curious about how digital technologies remediate and shape our world and vice versa. More recently, this has led me to explore research at the intersection of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), and Computer Mediated Communication (CMC).

With training in academic research and a motivation to improve product experiences, I am open to exciting project opportunities in both academia and the industry.

July, 2024: I graduated (yayy!). Up next, I would be working as a Research Associate (RA) at the Centre for Accessibility in the Global South (CAGS), International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT Bangalore)

May, 2024: I successfully defended my MS Thesis titled "Reselling Practices in a Textile Bazaar". I am deeply indebted to my faculty advisor, Prof. Preeti Mudliar, and her incredible mentorship throughout the MS program.

Dec 31, 2023: Signing off 2023 with gratitude. This year was filled with many humbling experiences. Look forward to an exciting year with new learnings.