Members’ Brief Biographies
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Namrita Owens
Namrita Owens founded DeafWiSE (formerly DWSE) in September 2001. She is currently a senior electronics engineers at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD. She graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) with a BS degree in electrical engineering. She also received a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in 1999. I develop and design digital electronics for NASA Ground Network and Spacecraft. I also lead the Equal Accessibility Advisory Committee (EAAC) as the chair at GSFC.
Cinda Lautenschlegar
Cinda Lautenschlegar is a lead senior Air Pollution Control Engineer for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. She graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and continues her work on a MS in Environmental Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Also, she was formerly the lead thermal design engineer for the first air-cooled mainframe with the IBM in New York from 1987-93. (This technology is already obsolete!) As an air pollution control engineer, she implements Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements to bring statewide facilities into compliance. Her current duties include:
- onsite inspections
- application and compliance reviews
- writing air pollution control permits
- developing control and emissions requirements
- providing technical and regulatory expertise to the public and regulated community
Tyra McConnell
Tyra McConnell is a Counterfeit Specialist with the U.S. Secret Service. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Gallaudet University in 1997 with Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry and Gerorge Washington University in 2001 with Master of Science in Forensic Science. While in graduate school, she worked for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Fireams as Forensic Chemist Technician for five years.
Vicki Shank
Vicki Shank, Professor of Mathematics, is currently teaching in her 31st year at Gallaudet University. While most of her teaching centers on "One and Several Variables" Calculus, she also has taught statistics, probability, and mathematics for prospective elementary teachers. She gives credit to her country-style upbringing on the poultry farm for her desire and motivation to stay with the mathematics field. After receiving her BA in Mathematics at Gallaudet, she completed her MEd in Deaf Education at McDaniel College and her PhD in Mathematics Education at George Mason University. During her spare time, she takes her bike out or travel with her best friend, husband Barry.
Advices to all the women and girls out there considering an engineering, sciences, or technology field:
- Be all you can be.
- Set your goals high.
- Stick with good study habits and get help immediately if you don’t understand something. PRACTICE and PRACTICE !!!
- Patience and perseverance are virtue !
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock
Dr. Kathryn Woodcock is an Associate Professor in the School of Occupational and Public Health, teaching, researching, and consulting in the area of human factors. She heads the THRILL lab, researching and developing applications of Human Factors/Ergonomics to amusement ride safety, accident investigation, and safety inspection, and is also involved in studying sign language interpreter injury prevention. Her previous research has included safety of working students, and the work, education, health and injury status of deaf Canadians.
She has previously taught graduate and undergraduate courses in industrial engineering and ergonomics at Rochester Institute of Technology (New York) and the University of Waterloo. Prior to PhD studies, she was a hospital vice-president and active in the Ontario health care sector. With degrees from University of Waterloo and University of Toronto, Kathryn was the first deaf woman to earn a PhD in engineering. She is a registered Professional Engineer, and a member of national and international professional societies in human factors/ergonomics. She is also actively involved in community services related to accessibility.
Website: www.ryerson.ca/woodcock
