- This event has passed.
Use your Makers Skills to Help People with Disabilities
March 15, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm PDT
Event Navigation
Disability Professionals and Makers: This exciting project innovates the way we deliver assistive technology.
Guess What?
We are starting an NYC Chapter of Makers Making Change!
Meet out Chapter Leaders
Loreto Dumitrescu is an occupational therapist and tinkerer with a driven interest in unlocking the ways technology can help bring out the best in each student. She is a graduate from Adelphi University with a Masters in Educational Technology. Her OT practice focuses on assistive technology and Universal Design for Learning. She is also the founder of ZeroDay Camp, whose mission is to broaden the reach of computing education by offering classes for kids and professional development for educators. Zero Day Camp also designs and disseminate software, tools, and curricula for computer science and robotics education.
Farrukh Zia is a Professor of Computer Engineering at CUNY CityTech. Farrukh earned his Master’s and PhD in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University in 1988 and 1996, respectively. Farrukh’s PhD research work was related to the applications of neural networks and fuzzy logic in controlling non-linear dynamic systems. In addition to his technical expertise, Farrukh has a passion for social justice projects and facilitates several meetup groups engaging CUNYTech students including Maker Fairies and Girls Who Code
Together, Loreto and Farrukh have a wide range of maker and disability related knowledge and are looking for others who share their passions!
About this Event
Makers Making Change is an innovative community based initiative that connects makers to people with disabilities to create affordable open source assistive technologies.
Makers Making Change utilizes emerging technology (Arduino microcontrollers, 3D printing, laser cutting for example) and integrates the culture and movements that surround them (the open source movement, the maker movement and the crowdsourcing movement).
Makers Making Change hosts an open source assistive device Project Library as well as a matchmaking service for people with disabilities to request device from volunteer makers. Makers donate their skills and time, people with disabilities pay only the cost of supplies and shipping(if applicable)
