Anamika Rajendran

Anamika Rajendran is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at New Mexico State University (NMSU) and works as a collaborative research assistant in the WASI lab. Her research focuses on integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems to enhance accessibility, personalization, and user experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science, with a specialization in human-computer interaction and cybersecurity.

Anamika’s prior work includes an NSF-funded collaboration between NMSU and Brigham Young University (BYU) on deniable encrypted messaging systems, where she studied how deniability features influence user trust, privacy, and accountability after hands-on interaction. Her findings were published and presented at EuroUSEC 2024 in Sweden.

She is also conducting research on how people in migration perceive surveillance and privacy along the U.S.–Mexico border and has collaborated on studying the non-use of ICT by these groups during their migration journey. Beyond these projects, Anamika has contributed to cybersecurity in smart grids, identifying and classifying cyberattack threats, and has experience in database systems, full-stack development, and applied machine learning, including recruitment-support models at CDAC India and web applications at FedEx Europe.

Outside of research, Anamika enjoys painting, sketching, and reading, and she is passionate about teaching and presenting her work to diverse audiences. Her interdisciplinary background, spanning cybersecurity, AI accessibility, usable security, and data-driven analysis, reflects her commitment to designing technologies that are both secure and human-centered. She aims to continue advancing research at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI ethics, and inclusive interface design throughout her PhD.