Career Exploration Series
Career Exploration
Series
Overview
The Career Exploration Series brings an exciting lineup of interactive virtual webinars tailored for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 6-12. Each semester, we dive into unique career-related topics paired with engaging activities. You'll also discover which college majors can lead you to your dream career.
Upon registration, you'll receive a complimentary box filled with supplies and materials to enhance your webinar experience and continue your exploration afterward.*
Want to revisit past workshops? You can request web links and access in the next section of our website. If you have a specific topic in mind for a new webinar, simply email us at ntidoutreach@rit.edu to submit a request.
*Not all webinars include supplies and materials. Please contact us for more details.
Current Webinars
2025 - 2026 School Year
Upcoming Spring Webinars:
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.
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.
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.
Register for a Webinar Event
We're thrilled to announce new webinars (listed below) as they become available; designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 6-12. Each session focuses on a unique and exciting topic, providing engaging experiences and valuable insights into various career paths. You can choose to register for one or all of the webinars.
Each webinar will take place on its scheduled date from 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET.
Recordings will be provided for people who cannot attend.
If you have questions about our webinars or would like to access our archives, please email us at NTIDOutreach@ntid.rit.edu.
Individual Student Registration
Click this button to register a deaf or hard-of-hearing student for a CES webinar. Do not individually register if the student's teacher is registering the whole class.
Teacher Registering a Group
If you are a teacher of a group of deaf/hard-of-hearing students: you do not need to individually register your students, and you should tell your students not to individually register themselves.
Instead, just send us a request to register your whole group. Include the webinar name and date, and a list of your students' full names, grade levels, and email addresses. Send to ntidoutreach@rit.edu and we will register your students for you.
Past Webinars
Missed a webinar or want to revisit a presentation?
All of our webinars are recorded. Just reach out to request access to past sessions.
Discovering Solar Power
Michael Berrios
What is this webinar about?
Dive into the fundamentals of solar power and how it operates electronic components.
Why should students participate?
Learn about solar power and the basics of electricity, opening doors to exciting opportunities in computer-related and renewable energy fields.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
- Solar Energy Technician/Installer
- Electrical Engineer
- Renewable Energy Consultant
- Energy Storage Engineer
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Engineer
- Energy Policy Analyst
- Automation Engineer
- Energy Efficiency Specialist
Introduction to Architecture through Designing a Deaf-Friendly School
Christopher Brucker
What is this webinar about?
Learn how to design a school using the principles of Deaf Space and other architectural concepts, considering specific requirements like classroom numbers, gym size, and office spaces.
What will students learn?
- Basic architectural concepts like space planning, function, and form
- How to think about a building's purpose and user experience
- Sketching techniques for initial design ideas
Why should students participate?
- Get a taste of architecture and interior design
- Develop problem-solving and design thinking skills
- Understand the importance of function and aesthetics in built environments
What careers might this webinar lead to?
- Architect
- Interior Designer
- Landscape Architect
- Urban Planner
- Sustainability Engineer
How to Take Amazing Photos on Your Phone
Amelia Hamilton
What is this webinar about?
Unlock the secrets to capturing stunning photos with your phone.
What will students learn?
- Master lighting techniques
- Experiment with different angles
- Utilize the rule of thirds
- Harness the power of portrait mode
- Capture the essence of moments and more
Why should students participate?
Gain the skills to take captivating photos in any situation, empowering you to express your creativity through photography.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Explore careers in creative fields where strong visual storytelling skills are valued, such as photography, digital media, and content creation.
Blood and Rh factor Typing
Liz Ayers
What is this webinar about? Why do humans have four different blood types? What exactly is the ABO blood type system in humans? In addition to blood type, the surface of red blood cells may or may not have a special protein called Rh factor. Knowing the blood type and Rh factor is critical for safe blood transfusions.
What will students learn? Using synthetic blood, students will understand how the ABO and Rh factor systems interact by identifying blood types and determining whether the Rh factor protein is present.
Why should students participate? Students will receive blood typing kits and enact the actions of a healthcare professional identifying blood and Rh factor type. When blood cells that do not match are mixed, the resultant hemolytic reactions will clearly demonstrate why this can be a serious consequence.
What careers might this webinar lead to? There are many careers ranging from medical doctors to laboratory technicians, forensic and criminal investigators, blood bank technologists, biomedical researchers, genetic counselors, phlebotomists, paramedics, and nurses.
Animation/Motion Graphics through Illustration and Technology
Ernest Roszkowski
What is this webinar about? Learning about animation and storytelling through illustrations in sequence using FlipaClip, a free frame-by-frame animated drawing software app available for mobile, tablet, and PC (windows only).
What will students learn? Students will learn a bit about the history, principles, and fundamentals of animation, and how technology has allowed photography to evolve to 3D motion pictures that we see in film today. Students will also learn how to tell their own illustrated stories through frame-by-frame imagery.
Why should students participate? To learn and continue growing and expanding their creative skills in drawing, structure, and/or storytelling using technology that enhances the experience of a traditional flip book. For non-creatives, tips will be shared related to how this creative app can be used as a tool in other industries such as business, education, and non-verbal communication needs.
What careers might this webinar lead to? Illustration, Story Artist, Animation, Motion Graphics, Visual Media, Education, Film
Solar Eclipses: The Path of Totality
Dr. Jason Nordhaus
What is this webinar about? During this webinar, we’ll discuss and prepare for a solar eclipse! An eclipse is an astronomical event when one celestial body passes in front of another, partially, or fully blocking it. On Monday April 8th, 2024, the moon will move in front of the sun providing a partial eclipse for many and a rare, total eclipse for those in the path of totality.
What will students learn? Students will learn what to expect during this eclipse based on their viewing locations. Students will also learn how astronomers use eclipses to learn about other objects such as distant planets, stars and white dwarfs.
Why should students participate? Each participating student will be provided with a free pair of solar glasses to use during the eclipse event. This webinar is a great opportunity to meet other deaf and hard-of-hearing students who are interested in astronomy, and experience an eclipse together!
What careers might this webinar lead to? Astronomer/astrophysicist, Space Exploration, Physicist, Scientist, NASA, SpaceX, any data driven and critical thinking career.
Why Bridges Use I-beams, but Corn Stalks are Round
Marriner Merrill
What is this webinar about? Tubes, squares, beams and other shapes are specially designed. For example, when you drive under a bridge, the steel holding it up is in the shape of a long capital “I.” Why is that? Why are trees usually round? Bird bones are hollow inside, why don’t they break?
What will students learn? Concepts of moment of inertia and how it relates to stiffness and strength. We will also show how these concepts are important for popcorn growing!
Why should students participate? To understand the connection between designed and natural structural shapes, and to learn how we can predict the strength of a component to safely design vehicles, planes, buildings, chairs, tables, and much more!
What careers might this webinar lead to? These concepts are important for any job where a person will be designing or building parts that they don’t want to break! Some engineering and design jobs areas would include Mechanical, Civil, Sports Equipment, Construction, Biological, Aerospace, Naval, Robotics, etc.
ASL Science Safari: Navigating the World of Scientific Signs
Marguerite Carrillo
What is this webinar about? No matter how often we use ASL in our lives, do we fully understand ASL as a language? Did you know ASL has its own rules and specific structure? Learn why ASL is a unique language.
What will students learn? Students will learn how ASL is viewed as a language and how signs are accepted. Learn about how signs have evolved and become agreed upon in the Deaf community.
Why should students participate? Students will have an opportunity to own their language and be creative with their signs. Knowing ASL has its benefits and can lead to a variety of different careers.
What careers might this webinar lead to? ASL Educator, Certified Deaf Interpreter, ASL Consultant, ASL Specialist, Actor/Actress using ASL, ASL Storyteller, Language Advocate, ASL Mentor, ASL Assessor, ASL Researcher.
Aerospace Engineering
DJ Monahan
What is this webinar about?
Are you fascinated with the stars and outer space? Curious about how humans can send robots into space and control them from Earth? This webinar will investigate aerospace engineering.
What will students learn?
Students will learn about aerospace, data collection, mechanical engineering, and learn how it all comes together in space using robots.
Why should students participate?
Students will receive a kit and will be building their own Bluetooth-controlled robots with guidance from our presenter.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Mechanical engineers, machinery manufacturing, Aerospace engineers, and Robotics.
Leadership
Colin Allen
What is this webinar about?
In this webinar, we discuss leadership skills that are applicable to diverse fields such as business, education, healthcare, non-profit organizations, government, and the arts. Leaders empower others, make decisions, set goals, and inspire change.
What will students learn?
Students will have the opportunity to learn about leadership styles, deaf leaders in the world, and explore various styles of leadership.
Why should students participate?
Empower students and motivate them to become leaders in clubs, schools, youth organizations, and other areas, ultimately helping them achieve success.
What careers might this webinar lead to?
Project manager, strategic planner, management consultant, political advisor, entrepreneur, and healthcare administrator.