Assistive Technology Workshop

How Engineers Help Disabled People

Presented by: Senait Haileselassie, Professional Engineering Staff,
University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Workshop Description

Did you know that more than 55 million Americans have some type of disability? Engineers and scientists use their talents to help disabled people adapt to their environments in many ways. In this workshop, see how creative you can be as you develop a personal fan to use at a Red Sox game. Suppose your friend had injured her hand and can’t turn on her fan on a hot day in Fenway Park. Can you think outside the box to find design alternatives for the fan? In this workshop you’ll brainstorm design ideas, then you’ll try your hand at electronics and build a few different working models. Which design is the best solution to the problem?

Leader’s Job Description

I provide electrical engineering support to the College of Engineering through the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s Assistive Technology Program. In the Assistive Technology program, I interact regularly with partners in the community  in developing projects that are used for senior students in the program as their Capstone Project. I advise and assist those students with their capstone Project. I am primarily a hardware engineer, so I help students most with their hardware designs.

Advice for Career Path

In High School, take all the Math and Science courses available, but don’t forget the English and Writing courses. They are very important. Engineers have to be able to express their thoughts to others and this is usually in some written form.