Kutztown University Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment to Feature Neil Deshmukh

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KUTZTOWN, PA (11/15/2017) Neil Deshmukh, a 14-year old technology and business prodigy, will serve as keynote speaker at Kutztown University's Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment on Friday, Nov. 17, in room 218 of the McFarland Student Union. The conference runs from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Deshmukh's keynote address will be at 9 a.m. The conference is free and open to the public. Registration is required at https://goo.gl/hZb794.

The Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment aims to contribute to the local-global perspective in social work, utilizing the strategy: Thinking globally and acting locally. The theme of this year's conference is "How do we build a fair, just, and peaceful world? Local efforts with global implications."

Deshmukh, a freshman at Moravian Academy, Bethlehem, Pa., seeks to bring change to the community. Using business acumen and social entrepreneurship, he developed two computer applications - VocalEyes helps visually impaired people navigate the world using AI on smart phones, and PlantumAI aids farmers in developing countries identify crop diseases using algorithms. He will discuss social entrepreneurship and how to take the first steps to make a difference, as well as how to identify problems in the community and how to solve them using (limited) resources.

Deshmukh has developed market opportunities to make his technology accessible to vulnerable and underserved populations.

For more information contact Dr. Barth Yeboah, professor of social work and conference chair, at 610-683-4292 or yeboah@kutztown.edu.