Karolina Pakenaite, a postgraduate researcher aiming to become the first deafblind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, will graduate from the University of Bath today.
Karolina, 29, was diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare degenerative condition at the age of 19, and she is slowly losing her sight and hearing.
Completing a PhD titled Design and Empirical Investigation of Tactile Images for Accessing Photographs, Karolina carried out research within Bath’s Centre for Digital Entertainment investigating methods for translating photographs into tactile representations that support meaningful interpretation through touch for visually impaired people.
Guide dog Bosley gets a gown
Alongside her guide dog Bosley, Karolina will graduate at a ceremony at Bath Abbey on Thursday 22 January. Bosley, a Golden Retriever-Labrador who has accompanied Karolina throughout her nine-year journey at the University, will take part in the ceremony in his own specially made gown.
Bosley will retire shortly after the ceremony, on his 10th birthday. Karolina said: “Bosley has been an exceptional guide dog, and it felt important to formally recognise everything we have achieved together.”
Karolina has been pursuing her mountaineering mission alongside her PhD by training with support from by Team Bath and the Bath University Mountaineering Club.
She is aiming to summit the world’s highest peak this year, having completed multiple high-altitude ascents, including Mera Peak, Mount Kenya and Himlung Himal, as part of her preparation.
She said: “Pursuing the Everest challenge alongside my PhD was demanding, but the two journeys ultimately reinforced one another. During my doctoral research, I often reflected on how far those small steps takes you on a mountain, and when I was climbing, I reflected on how the same approach carried me through the PhD – focusing on achievable goals each day.
“The PhD challenged me intellectually, while mountaineering project challenged me physically, and pursuing both journeys in parallel was a defining experience.”
Research to continue
Karolina plans to continue developing multisensory communication systems, including haptic wearables that support navigation and communication in extreme environments. She is also exploring ways to create multisensory visual experiences accessible to sighted, hearing, deaf, blind and deafblind audiences, including through the Pic2Tac image system, which has been created following Karolina’s research.
She added: “I still remember receiving my acceptance email, hardly believing that I had been offered a place on the PhD at exactly the institution, city and research area I had long aspired to pursue. Beginning the programme was daunting, and the journey itself was demanding, and I am proud to have reached this stage.”
Karolina thanked her supervisors Professor Peter Hall, Professor Michael Proulx and Dr Adwait Sharma, and Sarah Parry from the University’s Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour, as well as the University’s accessibility and support teams, research participants and the wider Bath community who supported her both academically and personally.
Prof Michael Proulx said: “Many people have compared pursuing a PhD to climbing a mountain, but I think Karolina might be the first to summit so many challenges in parallel, including the mission to Everest. She has published some incredible scientific work, raised awareness about Usher's Syndrome, collaborated with industry, and so much more. Watching her dedication and progress has amplified how inspiring she is.”
To others with Usher syndrome or who are deafblind and considering pursuing higher education or a research career, Karolina said: “You are allowed to adapt systems so that they work for you – this is not a weakness, it’s good design. What matters is identifying approaches that provide appropriate support, advocating for what you need and recognising that your lived experience can offer valuable insight within any field you choose to pursue.”