PhD student Jaylin Herskovitz receives Susan Lipschutz Award

Jaylin Herskovitz, a PhD student in computer science and engineering at the University of Michigan, has received the Susan Lipschutz Award. Given by the U-M Rackham Graduate School, the award recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated an outstanding level of scholarly achievement, an interest in social responsibility, and a commitment to supporting women in academia.

Established in memory of Dr. Susan S. Lipschutz, former senior associate dean of the Rackham Graduate School, the award aims to support the academic and professional growth of women scholars. As part of this legacy, Jaylin’s recognition highlights her significant contributions to accessibility within the field of computer science.

Jaylin currently performs research in the Human-AI (HAIL) Lab under Prof. Anhong Guo. Her work focuses on creating AI-based tools that enhance accessibility, aiming to empower individuals with disabilities by enabling them to customize AI technologies to meet their unique needs. Drawing from techniques in end-user programming, mobile sensing, and machine learning, Jaylin’s innovative approach has resulted in practical, user-driven solutions.

Among her notable projects is ProgramAlly, a tool that leverages multi-modal end-user programming to create custom visual access applications. ProgramAlly allows users to develop personalized solutions that enhance visual accessibility, tailoring technology to their specific contexts and requirements. Jaylin has presented this and her other work at numerous prestigious conferences, including UIST, CHI, and ASSETS, earning her recognitions such as a Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2022.

Looking ahead, Jaylin is eager to continue her work developing innovative solutions that leverage AI to improve accessibility and collaboration. The Susan Lipschutz Award will provide her with additional resources to advance her research, exemplifying Dr. Lipschutz’s commitment to supporting the academic growth of women scholars.