[NFBMO] [Nfbnet-members-list] Fwd: [NABS-L] The Science and Engineering Division and National Association of Blind Students Joint STEM Seminar

Fri Feb 6 13:46:09 UTC 2026

>
>The Science and Engineering Division and National Association of 
>Blind Students Joint STEM Seminar
>
>Two divisions of the National Federation of the Blind, namely: The 
>Science and Engineering Division (SED) and the National Association 
>of Blind Students (NABS), are presenting a joint Zoom conference on 
>how blind college and graduate students, and blind professionals, 
>are succeeding in courses and careers in science, technology, 
>engineering, and mathematics. The Zoom conference link will be the 
>standard NABS Zoom link shown at the bottom of this message. The 
>call will occur at 7:30 PM EST through 9 PM EST on Sunday, February 
>22, 2026. We will have three speakers. Each talk will be twenty 
>minutes long with an extra five minutes for questions.
>
>Topics will be of interest for blind students from middle school 
>through graduate school and for professionals. Parents of blind 
>school-aged children and educators are also welcome.
>
>Currently, the scheduled titles, speakers, abstracts, and speaker 
>introductions, are:
>
>Opening Remarks
>Lauren Altman, president, National Association of Blind Students 
>(nabs.president at gmail.com<mailto:nabs.president at gmail.com>), and 
>John Miller, president, Science and Engineering Division 
>(Johnmillerphd at hotmail.com<mailto:Johnmillerphd at hotmail.com>) (7:30 PM)
>
>Title: Engineering the Future: Storing Clean Energy Deep Beneath Our 
>Feet (7:40 PM)
>
>Speaker: Matthew Ard (mattard at stanford.edu<mailto:mattard at stanford.edu>)
>
>Abstract: The transition to clean energy is one of the greatest 
>challenges of our time, but what opportunities actually exist to 
>solve this crucial problem? In this talk, I will introduce the field 
>of Energy Science and Engineering and discuss how I am working to 
>tackle climate change through my research on large-scale energy 
>storage. I will share my journey from undergraduate studies to a PhD 
>program and discuss the methods and technologies I use to conduct 
>high-level research as a student with a visual impairment. By 
>sharing my research and personal experience, I hope to demystify the 
>research process and show that a career in research is a tangible 
>reality for students from all backgrounds.
>
>Speaker Introduction: Matthew is a second-year PhD student at 
>Stanford University in the Energy Science and Engineering program 
>and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. His 
>research is focused on enabling a clean energy future through 
>underground energy storage. He graduated from San Jose State 
>University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. As an 
>undergraduate, he conducted research at Stanford University and 
>Columbia University, where he focused on solving problems related to 
>climate change. Beyond the lab, Matthew is dedicated to improving 
>accessibility and advocating for inclusion in his communities. He 
>works with the Office of Access, Belonging, and Community and 
>mentors undergraduate and graduate students to help them navigate 
>their own paths in higher education.
>
>Questions: (8:00 PM)
>
>Title: Birding by Ear and Beyond; Exploring, experiencing, and 
>engaging in the wonder of the Natural world as a person who is blind (8:05 PM)
>
>Speaker: Donna Posont (dposont at umich.edu<mailto:dposont at umich.edu>)
>
>Abstract: Wonder of the natural world is for everyone and that 
>includes those who are blind or low vision. Sometimes we learn in 
>various ways by engaging all our other senses to experience natural 
>science. This program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn 
>Environmental Interpretive Center meets at least monthly to learn 
>about nature and is taught as though all participants are blind, 
>but, friends and family are welcome.
>
>Speaker Introduction:
>Donna Posont
>Coordinator: Birding by Ear and Beyond
>Environmental Interpretive Center
>University of Michigan-Dearborn
>dposont at umich.edu<mailto:dposont at umich.edu>
>
>I have a bachelor's degree in social work from West Liberty 
>University in West Virginia. I returned as a non-traditional student 
>and received a degree in Environmental Studies with a naturalist 
>focus and a minor in Biology graduating in 2015 from the University 
>of Michigan-Dearborn. During my time as a student I started a 
>monthly program for blind people to learn to identify birds by 
>sound. Upon graduation I became a staff naturalist and the program 
>grew to Birding by Ear and Beyond. The Beyond part provides for 
>experiencing all aspects of the natural world such as frogs, tree, 
>and plant identification, learning about the watershed, building, 
>and maintaining a Butterfly Garden. I received training as a 
>Certified Interpretive Guide from the National Association of 
>Interpretation, and this is helpful in sharing about nature. The 
>program has been featured in national magazines such as Audubon and 
>Birds and Blooms as well as appearing on CBS and NBC nightly news 
>and various podcasts such as Ray Brown's Talkin Birds, Any Bird, Any 
>body, and Eyes Free Sports. In 2016 I receive the Outstanding Part 
>time Interpreter the Year award from the National Association of 
>Interpretation Region IV. In 2024 I was a Merit Award recipient from 
>Michigan Association of Environmental Outdoor Educators. My proudest 
>moment came when I received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the 
>National Federation of the Blind in 2024 for an outstanding program 
>which has enhanced the lives of people who happen to be blind.
>
>Questions: (8:25 PM)
>
>Title: Audiom: Evaluating if digital interactive alternate text 
>provides the same information as visual spatial maps and diagrams (8:30 PM)
>
>Speaker: Brandon Biggs 
>(brandon.biggs at xrnavigation.io<mailto:brandon.biggs at xrnavigation.io>)
>
>Abstract: Sighted people view over 300 digital maps a year, in 
>contrast to blind people, who view less than one map a year on 
>average. Only around 17.5% of blind
>people have ever viewed a map of any kind as a blind person. This 
>talk will present Audiom, an interactive alternate text game-like 
>digital interface that
>can allow the non-visual viewing and creation of different types of 
>spatial information, such as maps and diagrams. Over 13 academic 
>studies and co-designs
>have been performed on over 150 blind and 40 sighted participants to 
>create and evaluate Audiom. The presentation will then discuss how 
>Audiom is being
>compared with visual digital maps and diagrams. The objective of 
>this work is to clearly define what it means for a non-visual text 
>map to serve the equivalent
>purpose to a visual map to meet the Web Content Accessibility 
>Guidelines. The results of this work should inform digital 
>accessibility legislation to facilitate
>equal educational and employment opportunities for professions 
>requiring the use of spatial information.
>
>Links to Audiom:
>Personal use:
>https://audiom.net
>Commercial use:
>https://xrnavigation.io
>
>Speaker Introduction: Brandon Biggs is an entrepreneur, researcher, 
>inclusive designer, developer, and life-long learner. He is the CEO 
>of XR Navigation, an Engineer at the
>Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, Co-Founder and board 
>treasurer at Sonja Biggs Educational Services Inc., and a PhD 
>student at the Georgia institute
>of Technology. In 2016, he received his bachelor's in music from 
>California State University East Bay, in 2019 he received his 
>master's in Inclusive Design
>from the Ontario College of Art and Design University, and in 2021, 
>began his PhD in Human Centered Computing from the Georgia Institute 
>of Technology.
>He is almost completely blind from Leber's Congenital Amaurosis 
>(LCA). His projects and ventures center around building tools to 
>solve some of the most
>difficult problems in the blindness field. He leverages his lived 
>experience coupled with human centered inclusive design principles 
>to create solutions
>that create lasting and sustainable impact. To achieve this goal, 
>Brandon is half entrepreneur and half academic.
>
>Questions: (8:50 PM)
>
>Closing Remarks
>Lauren Altman and John Miller (8:55 PM)
>
>Adjourn: (9:05 PM)
>
>Division Contact Information
>
>If you wish to learn more about NABS, including how to become a member, go to:
>"https://www.nabslink.org/".
>
>If you wish to join the SED, go to:
>"http://www.nfb.org/divisiondues".
>
>Dues for NABS and SED are $5 per division per year.
>
>NFB divisions' fiscal years start on January 1 and end on December 
>31 of the same year.
>
>Individuals may join the NABS and SED e-mail discussion groups at 
>"https://www.nfbnet.org/".
>
>If you have any questions about the mechanics of the seminar, please 
>contact Louis Maher (713-444-7838, 
>ljmaher03 at outlook.com<mailto:ljmaher03 at outlook.com>).
>-----
>Join Zoom Meeting:
>February 22, 2026, 7:30 PM EST
>
>Zoom Meeting Room 
><https://zoom.us/j/4678833687?_x_zm_rtaid=KOKAICd1R4ihtmx1LS5OTg.1769021469326.3ccbb5b08dc1b4996eb5278c87f34feb&_x_zm_rhtaid=216%23success>
>
>Meeting ID: 467 883 3687
>
>One tap mobile
>+13017158592,4678833687 US (Germantown)
>
>13126266799,,4678833687# US (Chicago)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Regards
>Louis Maher
>Phone: 713-444-7838
>Email: ljmaher03 at outlook.com<mailto:ljmaher03 at outlook.com>
>
>
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