The Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), annually recognizes leadership in the field of disability and technology by awarding the Strache Leadership Award. The Center has named Dr. Vinod Namboodiri of the COH as the recipient of its 2027 Strache Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership, innovation, and lasting contributions to the field of disability and technology. The Award is named for Dr. Fred Strache, who was known for his unwavering commitment to student success, equity, and innovation in higher education.
Namboodiri, the Forlenza '75 Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology and Professor in the Department of Biostatistics & Health Data Science, is being honored for his outstanding leadership, innovation, and lasting contributions to the field of disability and technology. According to an announcement from CSUN, "A distinguished researcher, educator, and advocate for accessible technology, Dr. Namboodiri has dedicated his career to advancing solutions that promote greater independence, inclusion, and opportunity for people with disabilities. As the founding Director of Lehigh University's Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT), he has championed a research approach that places the needs and lived experiences of people with disabilities at the Center of technological innovation. His groundbreaking work in accessible navigation, including the development of the AI-powered MABLE platform, demonstrates his commitment to transforming research into practical solutions that address real-world barriers—drawing upon both his expertise in computer engineering and his personal experience with progressive vision loss.
The announcement adds, "Equally important to his contributions as a researcher and innovator is Dr. Namboodiri's dedication to educating, mentoring, and empowering the next generation of leaders in assistive technology. Through his teaching, mentorship of doctoral and graduate students, and leadership of interdisciplinary research initiatives, he has created meaningful opportunities for students to apply their knowledge to accessibility challenges and make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. His exceptional ability to unite scholarship, mentorship, lived experience, and practical innovation exemplifies the spirit of the Strache Leadership Award and its recognition of individuals whose work creates a lasting impact on both the field and future generations."
Namboodiri will receive his award at the 42nd Annual CSUN Assistive Technology Conference being held in Anaheim, CA, in March 2027.
