[nfbmi-talk] FW: Press release with mention of Camp T

[Fred Wurtzel]

  _____  

From: mick isaacson [mailto:mick.isaacson at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:23 PM
To: Fred Wurtzel; Christine Boone; Taylor, Karen; kboone2920 at comcast.net
Subject: Press release with mention of Camp T

 

Please see below. Camp T is mentioned towards the end. Feel free to send the
release to others.

NEWS RELEASE

 

September 24, 2010

 

Purdue alumnus to demonstrate his company's products at White House

 

WASHINGTON, D.C., and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Educational products and
services that enable students affected by blindness and low vision to
experience more hands-on science learning will be demonstrated at the White
House on Monday (Sept. 27).

Cary Supalo, a Purdue University alumnus and founder and president of the
Purdue Research Park-based startup Independence Science LLC, will meet with
Kareem Dale, associate director of the White House Office of Public
Engagement and special assistant to the president for disability policy.
Supalo, a blind chemist who recently earned his doctorate in chemistry from
Pennsylvania State University, also will meet with Jessie DeAro, senior
policy analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Independence Science produces and sells educational products to schools that
assist in teaching science, math and other subjects to blind and low-vision
students.

"We are honored to share Independence Science's products and services that
empower students affected by blindness or low-vision with the current
administration," Supalo said. "Our mission always has been to inspire this
population -- which is underrepresented in the fields of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics -- to consider career paths in these
areas."

Other Independence Science personnel who will attend the meetings include
Mick Isaacson, director of research and development; Michael Lombardi,
curriculum development specialist; and Lillian Rankel, director of
educational innovations.

            One product to be demonstrated in the White House is the Talking
LabQuest, which collects and stores scientific data like acceleration and pH
level. The device incorporates a text-to-speech software component developed
by Independence Science that makes information displayed on its LCD screen
audible.

The software was tested at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually
Impaired and was used by students who attended Camp Tuhsmeheta this summer
in Greenville, Mich. Independence Science received funding from the National
Science Foundation to develop the technology and collaborated with Vermeer
Software & Technology and the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue
University to create it.

            Supalo's goals for Independence Science's visit to the White
House are to learn about government opportunities in getting its
technologies into schools to help blind students and to promote the
company's mission.

"We hope to tie this to educational and innovative opportunities for student
learning in the United States," he said.

About Independence Science LLC

Officials at Independence Science (http://www.independencescience.com
<http://www.independencescience.com/> ) are making their expertise available
to help school districts, colleges and universities, and state
rehabilitation agencies across the country meet Americans with Disabilities
Act requirements in the science curriculum. These technologies are being
made available to further serve as a dissemination tool to benefit any blind
and low-vision student in the United States.

About Purdue Research Park

The Purdue Research Park (http://www.purdueresearchpark.com
<http://www.purdueresearchpark.com/> ) has the largest university-affiliated
business incubation complex in the country in four locations across Indiana.
The parks are home to about 200 companies that employ 4,000 people and are
located in West Lafayette, Merrillville, Indianapolis and New Albany.

 

Contact at Purdue Research Park:

Steve Martin, 765-588-3342,  <mailto:sgmartin at prf.org> sgmartin at prf.org

 

Source:

Cary Supalo, 814-441-2589,  <mailto:csupalo at independencescience.com>
csupalo at independencescience.com