Career Exploration Series
Career Exploration Series
Registration opens September 15, 2026
Overview
The Career Exploration Series (CES) offers an exciting lineup of interactive virtual webinars tailored specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 6–12. Each semester, we dive into unique career paths, pair them with engaging activities, and help you discover potential college majors that can turn your dream career into a reality.
Upon registration, you may receive a complimentary box filled with hands-on supplies and materials to enhance your webinar experience and keep the exploration going at home!*
Want to revisit past workshops or have a specific career topic you’d love to see covered in a future webinar? We want to hear from you! Reach out to us anytime at ces-info@rit.edu to submit a request.
*Please note: Not all webinars include physical supplies and materials. Contact us for specific session details.
Registration opens September 15, 2026
Register for a Webinar Event
Every season, we will announce new webinars as they become available. Designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 6–12, each session focuses on a distinct industry, providing valuable insights and engaging experiences. You are welcome to register for a single webinar or the entire series.
- Time: All webinars take place on their scheduled dates from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET.
- Can’t make it live? Video recordings will be provided for all registered participants who cannot attend the live session.
If you have any questions or would like to request access to our webinar archives, please email us at ces-info@rit.edu.
Registration Options
Individual Student Registration
Click the button below to register an individual student.
Note: If your teacher is registering your entire class, please do not register individually.
Teacher & Group Registration
If you are a teacher planning to attend with a group of deaf or hard-of-hearing students, you do not need to register each student individually (and you should instruct them not to register themselves).
Instead, let us handle the paperwork for you! Simply email ces-info@rit.edu with the following information:
- The name and date of the webinar
- A list of your students' full names, grade levels, and email addresses
Past Webinars
Missed a live session or want to revisit a great presentation? All of our webinars are recorded. Simply reach out to ces-info@rit.edu to request access to our past sessions and materials.
Or send your request via this form:
Follow Your Dreams and Become your Own Boss by Setting up Your Own Business!
Scot Atkins
What is this webinar about?
This webinar highlights Deaf business owners who transformed their ideas into successful ventures and shares their experiences in establishing and growing their own businesses.
What will students learn?
Students will learn foundational strategies for developing and refining a business idea for the future. Each participant will receive a workbook to guide their thinking, and the session will include discussion on how to use this resource to begin planning and pursuing their entrepreneurial goals.
Why should students participate?
Entrepreneurship is a meaningful career path that offers independence and the opportunity to shape your own professional future. This webinar encourages students to explore business ownership as a viable and empowering option.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
This webinar may inspire careers in entrepreneurship. Students can pursue business ownership in any field aligned with their interests, whether that involves opening a restaurant, launching a service-based company, or creating a product-driven enterprise.
Recording not yet available.
Breaking Sound Barriers: Deaf Professional in Manufacturing
Sam Russotto
What is this webinar about?
This webinar introduces students to the world of Manufacturing Engineering, specifically within pharmaceutical and healthcare settings, and provides an overview of how this field supports the production of critical medical products.
What will students learn?
Students will learn how pharmaceutical and healthcare products, such as IV bags, are manufactured and gain insight into the role of a manufacturing engineer in ensuring quality, safety, and regulatory compliance. They will also explore the skills and mindset needed to succeed in this field.
Why should students participate?
Students should participate to better understand how manufacturing engineers combine hands-on problem solving, innovation, and teamwork to create and improve essential healthcare products.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
This webinar may lead to careers such as Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer, Automation Engineer, Validation Engineer, Quality Engineer, or Facilities and Equipment Engineer.
Deaf Brilliance: Stories That Shaped Our World
Joan Naturale
What is this webinar about?
This webinar introduces students to Deaf Studies resources, including InfoGuides, Deaf Studies Archives, and exhibits that highlight Deaf history, culture, and contributions.
What will students learn?
Students will learn how to access reliable information about Deaf people, history, art, theatre, poetry, and literature using academic and archival resources.
Why should students participate?
By exploring Deaf Studies materials, students can deepen their understanding of Deaf experiences and may discover new academic or personal interests.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Careers in librarianship and library services, including academic, public, school, or special libraries, as well as library support roles that may not require an advanced degree.
Recording not yet available.
Social Impact, Business, and Leadership: How Deaf Students Can Build Projects That Change Their Communities
Bakar Ali
What is this webinar about?
This webinar explores how Deaf and hard-of-hearing students can turn real-world challenges into meaningful projects, organizations, or businesses that create positive change in their communities.
What will students learn?
Students will learn how to identify problems, apply basic leadership and teamwork skills, and explore accessible roles in business, social impact, and community development through real-world examples.
Why should students participate?
The skills shared are practical and relevant to any career path, helping students build confidence, experience, and a strong foundation while still in school.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Careers in nonprofit and community leadership, business and entrepreneurship, public service, education, advocacy, and international development.
Smart Crab Robotics: Build, Test, and Explore
Trisha Gard-Thompson
What is this webinar about?
A fast, hands-on build where students create a tabletop “crab” robot that can side-walk, avoid obstacles/edges, and respond to light—then test and improve its behavior using simple, visual steps.
What will students learn?
Students will learn core robotics and how different parts of a robot contribute to its operation: motors, sensors, power, and chassis.
Why should students participate?
This activity is designed to be fun and highly visual, while also moving quickly. In just 30–45 minutes, participants can build, set their creations in motion, and see immediate results. The process incorporates real engineering principles—testing, measuring, making adjustments, and re-testing—so students actively engage in problem-solving and iterative design.
What will students learn?
- Robotics / Mechatronics technician or engineer
- Automation & Controls, PLC/industrial robotics
- Mechanical or Electrical engineering
- Manufacturing & QA (testing, measurement, fixtures)
- Marine/field robotics (biomimicry, ROVs)
The Future of Data Careers: How AI is Transforming Analysts, Scientists, Engineers, and Architects
Song Hoa Choi
What is this webinar about?
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the data landscape, changing how professionals analyze, manage, and design information systems. Data analysts now use AI-driven tools for faster insights, data scientists leverage machine learning for deeper predictions, engineers ensure scalable and efficient data pipelines, and architects design AI-ready infrastructures. As automation expands, the demand for critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and adaptability grows. This webinar explores how AI is redefining these roles and what skills will be essential for the future.
What will students learn?
Students will learn about:
- AI’s impact on data careers
- Evolving roles in analytics and engineering
- Future-ready skills for success
- Ethics and adaptability in AI
- Preparing for new opportunities
Why should students participate?
Students will gain insights into the future of data and AI, discover high-demand career skills, learn how to stay competitive in a rapidly changing job market, and connect their knowledge with real-world applications.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Careers this webinar could inspire:
- Data analyst
- Data scientist
- Statistician
- Biostatistician
- Survey researcher
- Business Intelligence analyst
- Social science research assistant
- Research scientist
- Database architect
Internet of Things: Building a Smart Plant Watering System
Tao Eng
What is the webinar about?
This webinar is about introducing students in grades 6–12 to the Internet of Things (IoT) through a hands-on project. Participants will learn how to build a smart plant watering system, combining sensors, and hardware. The session will include both guided instruction and interactive activities to give students practical experience with IoT concepts.
What will students learn?
Students will learn how to:
- Understand the basics of the Internet of Things (IoT)
- Connect sensors and simple hardware to measure soil moisture
- See how technology can solve real-world problems (like keeping plants healthy)
- Work on a hands-on project they can build and test themselves
Why should students participate?
Students will gain real-world experience with technology while building something fun and useful. This lab helps them understand how everyday problems can be solved with IoT, develop coding and problem-solving skills, and get hands-on practice with hardware. It’s a great way to explore STEM in an interactive and creative way.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Careers this webinar could inspire:
- Computer Science & Software Development – writing programs and apps
- Cybersecurity – protecting devices and networks
- Data Science – analyzing data from IoT devices
- Electrical & Computer Engineering – designing smart devices and circuits
- Robotics & Automation – building machines that interact with the world
- Smart Agriculture & Environmental Technology – using IoT to improve farming and sustainability
Cholesterol and Blood: How It Affects Your Heart and Health
Viet Le
What is the webinar about?
Cholesterol is something in your blood that can affect how your heart works. In this session, you’ll learn what cholesterol is, why it’s important, and how it can affect your health. We’ll also talk about easy ways to keep your heart healthy and strong.
What will students learn?
- Students will learn how the body uses cholesterol in healthy ways
- Understanding the difference between “good” cholesterol (HDL) and “bad” cholesterol (LDL)
- How too much cholesterol can damage blood vessels.
- They’ll also learn simple ways to keep cholesterol at a healthy level through food, exercise, and lifestyle habits.
Why should students participate?
- This will help students understand how daily choices about food and activity affect their heart health.
- They’ll gain tools to make better decisions for themselves and their families.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
- This topic connects to health-related careers such as doctor, nurse, dietitian, nutritionist, lab technician, and other fields in health science.
The Science of Sports Performance: Using STEM to Boost Athletic Success
Skip Flanagan
What is this webinar about?
- How science and technology are essential to improving sports performance.
- Understanding biomechanics: How the body moves during sports.
- Basics of exercise physiology: How muscles grow and recover after training.
- The role of nutrition: How what we eat affects energy and recovery.
- Technology in sports: Using fitness trackers and data analytics to enhance performance.
- Light mental performance techniques: Simple ways to stay focused and motivated.
What will students learn?
- How STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) is used in sports.
- How body mechanics and movement can help athletes improve.
- The science behind training and recovery.
- How nutrition fuels the body for peak performance.
- How technology tracks and improves athletic ability.
Why should students participate?
- Interactive learning with opportunities to explore resources to optimize performance.
- Learn how science applies to sports and everyday fitness.
- Explore exciting career paths related to sports science and technology.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
- Exercise Scientist
- Bio mechanist
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Nutritionist
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Sports Engineer
- Sports Technologist
- Researcher
- Performance Data Analyst
Exploring and Interpreting real-world data: Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)
Song Hoa Choi
What is this webinar about?
How did we know that the coronavirus became a pandemic in 2019? The answer is data! This webinar provides graph examples of COVID-19, showing how to interpret the results and draw conclusions.
What will students learn?
- Learn how to explore a real-world data regarding COVID-19 and describe various graphs from articles, journals, newspapers, and other sources.
- Create or identify critical questions, interpret results, and write conclusions.
Why should students participate?
This webinar helps students build their skills in analyzing real-world data and prepare them for fields like social science, politics, science, public health, and others, it is essential for them to first master statistical terminology. Once they learn how to interpret data, they will be ready to step into the world of data analysis.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
- Data analyst
- Data scientist
- Statistician
- Biostatistician
- Survey researcher
- Business Intelligence analyst
- Social science research assistant
- Research scientist
- Database architect