The great jobs of today and tomorrow are in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). Yet people with disabilities remain underrepresented in these fields. To help turn that tide, the 10th annual STEAM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities will be held in-person and virtually on Tuesday, October 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., hosted by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
This free event, developed in partnership with SAS, is designed for students with disabilities in grades 6-12, and gives attendees a chance to meet and be inspired by role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEAM fields. Event collaborator Ed Summers is a visually impaired software developer and head of accessibility at GitHub, a subsidiary of Microsoft. “I’m living proof that a disability can be an asset rather than a liability,” he says. “People with disabilities must be creative and adaptable. Those qualities are exactly what employers need in today’s ever-changing business environment.”
The STEAM Showcase will include a Keynote Speaker, Panel Discussion and Breakout Sessions, where participants will have an opportunity to directly engage with the speakers and will gain practical knowledge that they can apply to their interests and future career paths. For more information or to register, visit naturalsciences.org/steam (registration is free but required). For additional questions, contact Coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion Jessie Rassau (jessie.rassau@naturalsciences.org / 919-707-9976).
Keynote Speaker Myles de Bastion (he/him) is an artistic director, musician and creative-altruist who develops technology and art installations that enable sound to be experienced as light and vibration. His search for ways to bridge his passion for music with his Deaf identity led him to found CymaSpace, a non-profit that facilitates arts and cultural events that are inclusive of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. His work has appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show and he has built large-scale installations for musical festivals and Grammy-award winning jazz artist Esperanza Spalding. Recently, Myles has been focusing on making virtual worlds accessible beyond sound. His work incorporates Sign Language and AI-generated captions as a non-verbal means to craft social VR experiences.
Panelists:
- Shannon Garner, Senior Digital Analyst on the Ablr team, conducts accessibility testing on websites and trains individuals how to become successful accessibility analysts.
- Andi Nowakowski (she/they) is a laboratory scientist at LabCorp in Greenfield, Indiana. They are a service dog handler and live with various invisible disabilities.
- Magnus Hedemark (he/him) is a lifelong technology enthusiast and 30-year veteran of tech operations. He is Autistic, ADHD and Hard of Hearing.
- Brendon Hildreth (he/him) is Co-Director of The Accessible Icon Project in North Carolina. He has cerebral palsy and severe hearing loss, and is a big believer in equity, not equality,
Please note: ASL interpretation and live captions will be provided for the entire program and for each breakout room. This year’s STEAM Showcase is sponsored by SAS, JMP Statistical Discovery, SAVVAS Learning Company, Bressler and Vaught Families, LabCorp, and Red Hat.
About the NC Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh (11 and 121 W. Jones St.) is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world. In addition to two downtown buildings showcasing seven floors of world-class exhibits, the Museum runs Prairie Ridge Ecostation, a 45-acre outdoor education and research facility in west Raleigh, as well as satellite facilities in Whiteville, Greenville and Grifton (Contentnea Creek). Our mission is to illuminate the natural world and inspire its conservation. Downtown Raleigh Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. General admission is free. For more information, visit www.naturalsciences.org.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.