[Nfbc-info] Hey Hey Hoby!!!Fw: [Nfbnet-master-list] White House Highlights STEM Innovators in theDisability Community as "Champions of Change"

Sat May 26 22:55:51 UTC 2012

Many Thanks!

-----Original Message----- 
From: Genesis Renata
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 8:58 PM
To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Hey Hey Hoby!!!Fw: [Nfbnet-master-list] White House 
Highlights STEM Innovators in theDisability Community as "Champions of 
Change"

Congratulations to Hoby!  I am so very proud of you, and wish you much 
success as the years pass. Take care,
Genesis Renata, Nashville, Tenn.

www.mojoradio.us

TWITTER:Genesis Renata

FACEBOOK:Genesis Renata

SKYPE:genesis.renata

CHATROOM:www.mojoradio.us/chat (NO ONE UNDER 18 PERMITTED IN CHATROOM 
WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT)

> From: mwillows at sbcglobal.net
> To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
> Date: Sun, 6 May 2012 21:54:32 -0700
> Subject: [Nfbc-info] Hey Hey Hoby!!!Fw: [Nfbnet-master-list] White House 
> Highlights STEM Innovators in theDisability Community as "Champions of 
> Change"
>
> Please read the message below.  Our very own Henry (Hoby) Wedler is on his
> way to the White House as I write this message.  Blindness related 
> products
> are listed at least four times.
>
> I just returned from the 2012 Chemistry Camp.  It was outstanding as 
> usual.
> Let us all support the future of California Chemistry Camp through the 
> Catch
> Our Dreams fundraising campaign.
>
> Hey Hey Hoby!
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Riccobono,Mark (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)"
> <MRiccobono at nfb.org>
> To: <nfbnet-master-list at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2012 7:37 PM
> Subject: [Nfbnet-master-list] White House Highlights STEM Innovators in
> theDisability Community as "Champions of Change"
>
>
> >
> > THE WHITE HOUSE
> >
> > Office of Communications
> >
> > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> >
> > May 7, 2012
> >
> >
> >
> > White House Highlights STEM Innovators in the Disability Community as
> > "Champions of Change"
> >
> > WASHINGTON, DC - On Monday, May 7th, the White House will honor 14
> > individuals as Champions of Change for leading the fields of science,
> > technology, engineering, and math for people with disabilities in
> > education and employment.
> >
> > "STEM is vital to America's future in education and employment, so equal
> > access for people with disabilities is imperative, as they can 
> > contribute
> > to and benefit from STEM," said Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the
> > President for Disability Policy. "The leaders we've selected as 
> > Champions
> > of Change are proving that when the playing field is level, people with
> > disabilities can excel in STEM, develop new products, create scientific
> > inventions, open successful businesses, and contribute equally to the
> > economic and educational future of our country."
> >
> >
> >
> > The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President 
> > Obama's
> > Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is
> > highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to
> > entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are
> > doing to serve and strengthen their communities.
> >
> >
> >
> > To watch this event live, visit www.whitehouse.gov/live at 1:30 pm ET on
> > May 7th.
> >
> >
> >
> > The White House "Champions of Change" are:
> >
> >
> >
> > Ralph Braun is the founder and CEO of The Braun Corporation. Diagnosed
> > with Spinal Muscular Atrophy in 1947, he began using a wheelchair for
> > mobility. Determined to maintain his independence, he engineered the
> > world's first motorized scooter and followed with the first accessible
> > vehicle a few years later. The company grew substantially over the next
> > decades, and today, The Braun Corporation is the worldwide leader of
> > wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts in the mobility
> > industry. What started as a part-time business operated from his 
> > parents'
> > garage has grown into an international corporation with over 800
> > employees. Ralph is now 71 years old and is the father of five adult
> > children. He still lives and runs The Braun Corporation from his 
> > hometown
> > of Winamac, Indiana with his wife, Melody.
> >
> >
> >
> > Joseph Sullivan is president of Duxbury Systems, Inc., a small company
> > that has specialized in software for braille since its founding in 1975,
> > and which now employs two blind people and which provides braille
> > translation software for more than 130 languages worldwide.  He has also
> > served on many braille-related committees, including the Literary 
> > Braille
> > and Computer Braille Committees of the Braille Authority of North 
> > America,
> > was chair of the technical design subcommittee of the Unified English
> > Braille (UEB) project of the International Council on English Braille
> > (ICEB), and currently serves on the UEB Maintenance Committee of ICEB.
> > Joe believes that braille is the key to literacy for blind persons, that
> > literacy is the key to an informed citizenry, and that an informed
> > citizenry is essential to civilization.
> >
> >
> >
> > University of North Texas (UNT) Biochemistry graduate student Nasrin 
> > Taei
> > is developing a model peptide system to investigate the effects of
> > mutations that cause sudden cardiac arrest in young adults. Her model
> > system will be used for testing potential candidate drugs that 
> > ameliorate
> > the structural effects of heart disease causing mutations. Nasrin is a
> > member of Phi Theta Kappa an international honor society. As a STEM 
> > model,
> > she tutored at the community college and mentored high school students,
> > which led to her recognition at UNT as a Soaring Eagle. Nasrin is being
> > honored as a Champion of Change for her humanitarianism and 
> > contributions
> > toward discovering a treatment for heart disease and making a better
> > future for people around the globe.
> >
> >
> >
> > Maria Dolores Cimini, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director for Prevention and
> > Program Evaluation at the University at Albany Counseling Center and has
> > served as the Principal Investigator for over six million dollars in
> > behavioral health projects funded by the National Institutes of Health,
> > the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the
> > U.S. Department of Education during the past decade. As a
> > scientist-practitioner, Dr. Cimini has been active in promoting access 
> > to
> > STEM for students with disabilities, particularly young women with
> > disabilities, through her work with the American Psychological
> > Association's Women with Disabilities in STEM Education Project for 
> > which
> > she serves as Co-Chair and her mentoring of students and early career
> > scientists on a national scale. Through her own experience as a 
> > scientist
> > with a disability, she is helping our nation identify and enhance
> > facilitators and address barriers to STEM education and career success 
> > for
> > people with disabilities. Dr. Cimini is being honored as a Champion of
> > Change for her work in enhancing access to the STEM disciplines by
> > students with disabilities through her research, leadership, and 
> > mentoring
> > efforts.
> >
> >
> >
> > As a professional and a parent, Virginia Stern has been working for more
> > than four decades to raise expectations of persons with disabilities,
> > their families, educators, and employers, especially employers in 
> > science,
> > technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Since 1977 she was a
> > guiding force of the Project on Science, Technology and Disability of 
> > the
> > American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She 
> > recognized
> > that talented students with disabilities needed more than legislation 
> > and
> > STEM degrees to gain employment in their chosen fields. In 1996 Mrs. 
> > Stern
> > and her colleagues developed the flagship program, Entry Point!, to
> > provide paid internships and develop career skills in the private and
> > public sectors for students with disabilities in STEM. Hundreds of Entry
> > Point! alumni have joined and continue to advance in the STEM workforce 
> > of
> > the nation.
> >
> >
> >
> > Steve Jacobs is President of IDEAL Group. Steve is dedicated to 
> > enhancing
> > the accessibility of STEM curriculum for students with disabilities.
> > Steve's company offers software that translates printed STEM materials
> > into digital formats for conversion into speech and Braille.  Steve's
> > company also developed fully-accessible STEM-enabled eBook reading
> > software. Over the past 3-1/2 years, Steve's company has become one of 
> > the
> > world's largest developer of mobile accessibility applications with five
> > million installations in 136 countries. Steve is also working with many
> > institutions to tech-transfer their STEM-related work to mobile 
> > platforms.
> > These institutions include Smith-Kettlewell's Video Description R&D
> > Center, University of Oregon's Mathematics eText Research Center, and
> > Georgia Tech wireless RERC and sonification lab. Steve is a 1973 
> > graduate
> > of Ohio State University. Steve and wife Pauline have been married for 
> > 37
> > years. Pauline and Steve have two daughters, Shana and Jessica, and a
> > granddaughter Brooke Christine... who is Steve's boss.
> >
> >
> >
> > Rafael San Miguel began his career at NASA working on the Space Shuttle
> > program, and has spent the past 23 years as a scientist for The 
> > Coca-Cola
> > Company.  He also serves as a board member of the Atlanta Speech School,
> > an 80-year old private institution focused on meeting the needs of those
> > with speech and language based disabilities.  Rafael, who has been
> > profoundly deaf since infancy, creates awareness about disability by
> > focusing on ability as he inspires young people to pursue education in
> > science and math. Using his unique format that presents science in an
> > exciting way, he has volunteered at schools both locally and in
> > communities where he travels by connecting with underserved schools
> > through the volunteer network of Points of Light. Rafael is now turning
> > his energies toward a call to action and creating an initiative called 
> > the
> > U.S. Science Project focused on inspiring individual scientists,
> > businesses, legislators and community leaders to scale efforts for
> > engaging in impact-driven volunteerism to begin to fill the science
> > deficit in our nation through a volunteer Science Corps.
> >
> >
> >
> > David H. Rose, EdD, is a developmental neuropsychologist and educator
> > whose primary focus is on the development of new technologies for
> > learning. In 1984, Dr. Rose co-founded CAST, a not-for-profit research 
> > and
> > development organization whose mission is to improve education, for all
> > learners, through universal design for learning (UDL). Dr. Rose also
> > teaches at Harvard's Graduate School of Education where he has been on 
> > the
> > faculty for more than 25 years. He is the author or editor of numerous
> > books and articles on UDL, and the winner of awards from the Smithsonian
> > Museum, the Tech Museum, and others.
> >
> >
> >
> > Christine Reich is Director of Research and Evaluation at the Museum of
> > Science, Boston, one of the world's largest science centers. The Museum 
> > of
> > Science brings science, technology, engineering, and math to about 1.5
> > million visitors a year through its dynamic programs and interactive
> > exhibits. As Director of Research and Evaluation, Christine oversees a
> > department that conducts research and evaluation studies related to
> > various aspects of the Museum experience, but her passion and expertise
> > focus on researching ways to advance the inclusion of people with
> > disabilities in museum learning. Prior to her current position, 
> > Christine
> > worked as a museum educator and an exhibit planner, specializing in the
> > development of museums exhibitions and programs that are inclusive of
> > people with disabilities.
> >
> >
> >
> > George Kerscher began his IT innovations in 1987 and coined the term
> > "print disabled."  George is dedicated to developing technologies that
> > make information not only accessible, but also fully functional in the
> > hands of persons who are blind or who have a print disability. He 
> > believes
> > properly designed information systems can make all information 
> > accessible
> > to all people and is working to push evolving technologies in this
> > direction. As Secretary General of the DAISY Consortium and President of
> > the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), Kerscher is a
> > recognized international leader in document access.  In addition, 
> > Kerscher
> > is the Senior Officer of Accessible Technology at Learning Ally in the
> > USA.  He chairs the DAISY/NISO Standards committee, and serves on the 
> > USA
> > National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) Board.
> >
> >
> >
> > As a child in the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind in
> > 1949, John Boyer found that contemporary scientific material in braille
> > was almost non-existent. John has never lost the sense of frustration he
> > felt when the braille resources available to him were insufficient to
> > satisfy his hunger for more science education. John believes that is the
> > motive for his life's work. He obtained a master's degree in Computer
> > science, with a minor in electronics engineering at the University of
> > Wisconsin in 1980. His first company was a Braille publishing enterprise
> > which served an international client base. Abilitiessoft, Inc., his
> > current company, creates open source adaptive software which makes Web
> > pages available to blind persons through a Braille display. The current
> > project, BrailleBlaster, will allow the integration of text with Braille
> > graphics such as maps and graphs into a format accessible to blind 
> > people.
> >
> >
> >
> > Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky is a Research staff member in the Speech and 
> > Language
> > Algorithms Department at the IBM T.J.Watson Research Center. Prior to
> > joining IBM, he worked at a number of prestigious centers for higher
> > mathematics, including the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the
> > Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1979, he
> > invented a multi-channel vibration based hearing aid, and founded a
> > company to produce and market this device. He also developed the first
> > uses for speech recognition as a communication aid for deaf users over 
> > the
> > telephone, for which he received an award from the National Search for
> > Computing Applications from John Hopkins to Assist Persons with
> > Disabilities. In 1998 Dr. Kanevsky introduced the first remote
> > transcription stenographic services over the Internet, and created the
> > ViaScribe product speech recognition concept and system that allows
> > automatic transcription of lectures in real-time and the creation of
> > multimedia notes. At IBM he has been responsible for developing the 
> > first
> > Russian automatic speech recognition system, as well as key projects for
> > embedding speech recognition in automobiles and broadcast transcription
> > systems. He currently holds 152 US patents and was granted the title of
> > Master Inventor IBM in 2002 , 2005 and 2010. His conversational 
> > biometrics
> > based security patent was recognized by MIT, Technology Review Magazine,
> > as one of five most influential patents for 2003. His work on Extended
> > Baum-Welch algorithm in speech, another initiative for embedding speech
> > recognition in automobiles and his work on conversational biometrics was
> > recognized as science accomplishment  in 2002 , 2004 and 2008 by the
> > Director of Research at IBM . In 2005 Dimitri Kanevsky received an
> > Honorary degree (Doctor of Laws, honoris causa) from the University
> > College of Cape Breton.  He was elected a member  of  the Word 
> > Technology
> > Network in 2004 and was a Chairperson of IT Software Technology session 
> > at
> > Word Technology Network Summit 2005 in San-Francisco, Calif. He also
> > organized a special session on Large Scale Optimization at ICASSP 2012 
> > in
> > Japan.
> >
> >
> >
> > Henry Wedler is a graduate student at the University of California, 
> > Davis,
> > working towards his Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Inspired by programs
> > offered by the National Federation of the Blind in high school and with
> > encouragement from professors, colleagues and others, Henry gained the
> > confidence to challenge and refute the mistaken belief that STEM fields
> > are too visual and, therefore, impractical for blind people.  Henry is 
> > not
> > only following his own passion; he is working hard to develop the next
> > generation of scientists by founding and teaching at an annual chemistry
> > camp for blind and low-vision high school students. Chemistry Camp
> > demonstrates to these students, by example and through practice, that
> > their lack of eyesight should not hold them back from pursuing their
> > dreams. Henry was nominated by Douglas Sprei of Learning Ally, a 
> > nonprofit
> > that produces accessible audio textbooks for blind and learning disabled
> > students, which is an indispensable resource that allowed him to excel 
> > in
> > school.
> >
> >
> >
> > Sina Bahram is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at
> > North Carolina State University.  His field of research is Human 
> > Computer
> > Interaction (HCI).  Sina's primary interest is the dynamic translation 
> > of
> > interfaces, with an emphasis on innovative environments being used by
> > persons with visual impairment (PWVI) to facilitate learning,
> > independence, and exploration.  His other research interests focus on
> > using AI inspired techniques to solve real-world user-centric problems.
> > When he is not busy with his academic pursuits, Sina enjoys staying on 
> > the
> > bleeding edge of technology and working with small, high-tech startup
> > companies.  Sina's passion for his field originally stems from the fact
> > that he is mostly blind and uses assistive technologies such as a screen
> > reader to navigate computer systems and technological devices.  After
> > experimenting in the fields of bioinformatics, privacy policy/law, and
> > systems security, Sina discovered that his heart lies in helping users 
> > of
> > all capabilities use computer systems more effectively and efficiently.
> > He has worked in HCI full-time ever since.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Nfbnet-master-list mailing list
> > Nfbnet-master-list at nfbnet.org
>
>
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