WAMC Radio Story Highlights Summer Camp That Makes Science Fun and Accessible to Young Women Who Are Deaf

ALBANY, NY (03/09/2010)(readMedia)-- TechGirlz, a weeklong summer camp, provides hands-on learning opportunities designed to make science fun and interesting for middle school girls who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The program, run by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), is featured in the latest story in WAMC's radio series, Access to Advancement: An Audio Exploration of the National Effort to Increase the Role of Women with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Access to Advancement, funded by the National Science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education Program, sheds light on the opportunities for, and achievements of, women with disabilities in science fields. The series airs on WAMC's The Best of Our Knowledge and 51% radio programs, and the first six stories are now available for listening online at www.womeninscience.org.

TechGirlz encourages young girls who are deaf to explore a variety of science-related careers through hands-on projects. Participants build artificial lungs, use forensic science to analyze a crime scene, dig in a small-scale archeological dig site, and visit an amusement park to learn about rollercoaster engineering. Many girls say their favorite part of camp is building their own personal computer to take home. "They really are virtually glowing when they leave with these computers in their hands-computers actually running that they have built from the ground up," said Elissa Olsen, who coordinates the computer building workshop at TechGirlz.

Dr. Angela Lee Foreman, an assistant professor of biology at RIT/NTID, teaches campers how to perform laparoscopic surgery in a bioengineering class at TechGirlz. While the science skills are important, she believes that one of the most important things she teaches the girls is to have confidence and speak up for themselves. Dr. Foreman, who says she was once turned down for a job at a laboratory because of her hearing impairment, has reached her career goals in part by advocating for herself. "It's very, very important to communicate with your peers, and your colleagues, and to communicate with other people exactly what you need that will help you to be very successful," said Dr. Foreman.

TechGirlz instructors build students' confidence and, as camper Jenilee Marques explained, they spark their interest in science-related subjects. "I used to think this was kind of boring…but I'm learning that it can be fun. It's complicated work, but it's very interesting, too." When asked if there's anything she thinks is off limits to her, Jenilee replied, "Oh, no, no, not at all. We can do anything that a hearing person can do. The only thing we can't do that a hearing person can do is hear. We just have to do everything in a different way, that's all."

Tune in to The Best of Our Knowledge on March 22 at 8:00pm to learn more about the TechGirlz program. Access to Advancement will air monthly on The Best of Our Knowledge and 51%. Please visit www.wamc.org for a full broadcast schedule. The series is also available for listening online at www.womeninscience.org. You can join the Access to Advancement discussion on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com and searching for "Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ON THE AIR!" Or follow the series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AccesstoAdvance.

Access to Advancement is made possible by support from the National Science Foundation Research in Disabilities Education program under grant number HRD-0833247. For more information, please call (800) 323-9262, ext. 169 or email womeninscience@wamc.org.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio network broadcasting 24 hours a day to portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic states. With 22 broadcast facilities, WAMC ranks among the most-listened-to public radio stations in the United States, with over 400,000 monthly listeners and more than 35,000 members. An affiliate of National Public Radio, American Public Media, and Public Radio International, WAMC is also one of the most prolific original producers of public-radio style programming in the nation, distributing a roster of award-winning segments and full-length news and information programs heard on more than 500 radio stations nationwide, on the Internet via audio on-demand, and in 177 countries via Armed Forces Radio. For more information, please visit www.wamc.org.