Daniel

Accessible Technology

“Is it working?” It sounded as though Minnie Mouse was talking, but I could see clearly that the person across from me was my mother, not an over-sized rodent in polka dots. The phrase was not as dramatic as Alexander Graham Bell’s, “Mr. Watson—come in here,” but for me, it was just as momentous. I was thirteen. As my cochlear implant was activated, those three words were the first I had ever heard clearly. I had just entered high school and this was the crossroads in my journey towards independence in the world and a critical impetus toward pursuing a career in a STEM field.

My cochlear implant coupled with sound field technology were key components in my achievements in mainstream schools. This was particularly important because my academic interests naturally gravitated to science and math. My local high school was known for its strengths in those disciplines and offered AP classes both in calculus and computer science that I was able to take advantage of. For me personally, my implant demonstrated the power of technology to create access to sound, accessibility to educational opportunities, and the prospect of a fulfilling career. During high school, I took the most challenging classes available, participating in math and computer science honor societies, and looked forward to a career in technology.

Attending college at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) served to further define my interests in web and mobile app development. The summer after my freshman year, I attended the AccessComputing Summer Academy for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the University of Washington and took a course in programming for web development. The experience led me to choose a major in information technology with a concentration in web and mobile app development. My work in my major ultimately prepared me for a summer internship at Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch.

During my senior year at RIT, I worked at a start-up, MotionSavvy, which seeks to use 3D motion sensing technology to develop applications to translate sign language into text. This offered exciting possibilities for improving accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing along with the chance to learn about business from the ground up.

I was excited to return to Bank of America as a technical analyst in the Global Markets group following graduation. I hope to continue to pursue my interests in developing technologies that promote accessibility.