Disability Inclusion Analytics Lab (DIAL)

Hi, I’m Shiya Cao, an Assistant Professor of Statistical and Data Sciences at Smith College. I created the Disability Inclusion Analytics Lab (DIAL) in Fall 2022, to advance my research in disability inclusion and broader social inclusion topics using quantitative and qualitative methods. My lab engages Smith College undergraduates in these research topics and helps them pay attention to human, social, and emotional elements of data science. If you’re interested in a research collaboration or joining my lab, please email me.

I’ve published multiple papers in high-ranking peer-reviewed journals and conferences including Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Behavior & Information Technology, and the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences as well as a book chapter titled The Chains that Bind: Gender, Disability, Race, and IT Accommodations.

Meet the Team

Shiya Cao

My name is Shiya Cao, the founder of the DIAl Lab. I’ve been working on disability inclusion research since Fall 2016 when I was a graduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I’ve studied accommodation management systems for disabled employees in the workplace, accessibility issues, applied statistics in disability inclusion using population surveys, the intersection of identity attributes, and the integration of disability inclusion components into data science pedagogy. I am enthusiastic about the disability inclusion field and am hoping to promote this research and disability awareness in the data science community.

Amber Zhang

Hi! My name is Amber, and I’m a rising senior majoring in Psychology and Statistical & Data Sciences. I’m interested in using data analytics to better understand and support underserved groups, including human trafficking survivors, chronic illness patients, and people with disabilities. I’m very excited to join the DIAL Lab and apply what I’ve learned in class to research that helps create more inclusive and accessible communities.

Anna Zhao

Hi! My name is Anna. I’m a rising senior majoring in Statistical and Data Sciences. I previously took SDS 300, which deepened my interest in disability inclusion topics and in how data-driven research can help identify and address social disparities. I’m excited to join the DIAL Lab and continue conducting research about disability inclusion and accessibility.

Lab Alumni

Linh Pham (Fall 2022 - Spring 2023)

Zhirou Liu (Spring 2023)

Vicky Xu (Spring 2023 & SURF 2023)

Amber Liu (SURF 2023)

Nikki Lin (SURF 2023)

Christy Yang (Spring 2023 - Spring 2024 & SURF 2023)

Elm Markert (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)

Yujie Gong (Spring 2024)

Sophia Silovsky (Spring 2024)

Sarah Susnea (Spring 2024 - Fall 2024)

Lucia Qin (Fall 2024 - Spring 2025)

Kayla Tillmon (Fall 2024 - Spring 2025)

Rae Traver-Fallick (Fall 2024 - Spring 2025)

Mehreen Mirza (Spring 2025)