Annette Tavernese’s oral presentation excels in science and math education graduate student category.
Annette Tavernese, a master’s student studying secondary education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, took home the top prize at the national Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM, in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. Her presentation about the challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields earned her top points in the science and math education graduate student category.
In her presentation and throughout her supporting research, Tavernese, from Brick, N.J., cited social isolation as a main concern of these students but provided ways that the challenges could be overcome.
“The Deaf STEM Community Alliance is addressing social isolation by creating a model virtual (online) academic community for the deaf and hard-of-hearing students in science, technology, engineering and math majors, their faculty, mentors and staff,” explained Tavernese.
Tavernese’s research—which includes identifying the ideal time of day for STEM students’ online social interaction and which STEM topics generate the most interaction—is being conducted through a collaborative effort between RIT and other universities including Camden County College and Cornell University, as well as with deaf and hard-of-hearing STEM professionals across the United States. The research project is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
“Annette understands how important it is for students who are deaf or hard of hearing to understand science, technology, engineering and math concepts and to share that knowledge with others,” said Lisa Elliot, senior research scientist, principal investigator for the Deaf STEM Community Alliance and an NTID faculty member. “I was so proud to see her bring her enthusiasm about our project at the national conference and I know that other attendees learned a great deal from her presentation.”
The conference was co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Rochester Institute of Technology is home to leading creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls 18,000 students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, making it among the largest private universities in the U.S.
The university is internationally recognized and ranked for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. RIT also offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation. Global partnerships include campuses in Croatia, Dubai and Kosovo.
Source: www.rit.edu/news
