Bio

I am a public speaker, freelance writer, and content creator. Though I focus primarily on science and technology (with a specialty in accessible tech). I write on a variety of topics ranging from geek to Jewish.

My Goal...

My aim is to create more opportunities for people with disabilities in STEM fields. That is—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. My website Femme de Chem is all about working toward the ultimate dream of equal STEM education and employment for everyone.

My Story...

Though I was low vision my entire life, I didn't become legally blind until my Junior year of High School. It sent me on a 2-year sprint to learn braille, independent living skills, mobility skills, and a whole new set of study skills before attending college. All the while staying enrolled in my creative and performing arts high school, where I studied vocal performance for 3 hours every afternoon and was required to participate in operas, choir, and other performances. When I started college, I was breathless, and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to study.

After a brief stint with elementary education, I discovered a deep love of mathematics— and ultimately Physics. I left my four-year school which did not offer hard sciences, attended community college, and re-entered another four-year school's Physics department, where I was the first blind student to ever attempt a hard science major. I was actively discouraged from taking Chemistry, a course I needed to graduate, and was told on several occasions that I should become a teacher for the blind. With very little support to continue with a science education, I changed schools once again and ultimately obtained a degree in writing with a concentration in science writing.

Last year I learned that I was also losing my hearing, so I am now considered DeafBlind. In the last year, while I was once again going through rehab training for mobility and learning American Sign Language, I had a chance to meet more people who, like myself, had left science because of lack of support. I realized that I wanted to change this, so that no student ever again retells this narrative. Thus, Femme de Chem and my mission to create a more inclusive STEM atmosphere was born.