Last week, the Univision Foundation and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) came together to host their Open Pathways 4 STEM conference at Florida International University. They showcased evolved technology to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the fields of science and technology.
This cause resonated with FIU students who are a part of the Disability Resource Center (DRC), and motivated them to lend a helping hand.
“I think it’s important because it shows that even though we technically are students with disabilities, we’re a lot more than that,” said Isabella Machado, a volunteer who is a part of FIU’s DRC. “Just because we have some disadvantages doesn’t mean we don’t also have certain talents that can help aid in things like in STEM or in any other subject.”
Organizers gathered various companies, including Meta and Samsung, that had the opportunity to present their innovative efforts.
“[S]eeing a lot of these speakers together shows us that we are not alone, that we are a lot of people, and bringing the collective makes a community with one mission that is to make STEM available for everybody,” said the Executive Director of the Univision Foundation, Irisaida Mendez.
One of these speakers was Puerto Rican astrophysicist Dr. Wanda Díaz-Merced, who shared her journey in science as a blind astronomer. She founded the International Astrosense Program to make astronomy accessible and pioneered sonification, a method that translates astronomical data into sound.
She revealed that having the opportunity to speak at this event was “a dream come true.”
The initiative continues to pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible future in science and technology for all.
