Astrophysics in the Dark: Challenges and Solutions from a BLV Perspective

As a blind astrophysicist, I am confronted on a daily basis with the challenges of conducting a research program in a field where visual interfaces to information are all pervasive, and within which the analysis of data and presentation of results are dominated by visual tools. From basic activities such as finding and reading a research paper, through the manipulation and interrogation of data, to the visualisation and presentation of results, the barriers to equitable access for a person who is blind or has low-vision (BLV) are significant, and in some cases insurmountable. In this talk I will describe some of the barriers that I have encountered in my own research activities, the range of solutions that I am applying, and directions in which accessibility for BLV researchers might be further enhanced.