Ria Gualano

I am a PhD Candidate at the Cornell University Department of Communication. ​Broadly, my research centers the communication of disability, which I currently examine through projects on participatory disability and neurodiversity arts, higher education accommodations and accessibility, and invisible disability representation through social VR avatars.

 

I am particularly interested in participatory research methods and organized the Spring 2024 "Invisible Aspects of Disability and Neurodiversity" arts exhibition at Cornell. As a 2025-2026 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellow, I will continue this work through field research and an immersive technology-integrated disability and neurodiversity arts exhibition. 

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Prior to Cornell, I earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Theatre Arts from Johns Hopkins University. During my time at there, I led projects on the psychological effects of social media use and collaborated with teams on research related to memory, interpersonal relationships, and well-being. 

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Outside of research, I enjoy fashion design and write romance novels that spotlight folklore and culture from my Chinese heritage. ​