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Deaf Minds at Work: STEM Leaders and the Limitless Potential of ASL
- Kathleen Marcath
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
From classrooms to laboratories, Deaf professionals are leading with creativity, connection, and limitless potential.
Every great scientist, engineer, and innovator begins the same way — with curiosity.
For children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, that curiosity can sometimes run up against communication barriers. However, the Deaf STEM leaders and professionals prove that those barriers can become bridges. Their early experiences as children lit the path to lives filled with discovery, creativity, and leadership.
At ASL Picture Books, we believe stories like these help families see what’s possible when language and imagination work hand in hand. Let’s meet inspiring Deaf leaders who are changing the world through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
Science – Dr. Caroline M. Solomon
President, NTID/RIT
When she was a little girl, Caroline loved to swim — until the day she discovered that the creek in her neighborhood was too polluted for safe swimming. That moment of disappointment became the spark for her lifelong fascination with science and the environment.
Today, Dr. Caroline M. Solomon is an environmental biologist whose research on algae, bacteria, and nutrient cycles helps protect waterways, such as the Chesapeake Bay. She also champions Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in STEM by developing new ASL signs for scientific terms so everyone can discuss complex ideas in their own language.
In 2017, she received the Ramón Margalef Award for Excellence in Education for “bringing the Deaf and hearing worlds of science together.” In 2025, she became the first woman to serve as President of NTID. Her message to young readers is simple:
Technology – Melissa Malzkuhn & Dr. Christian Vogler
Directors, Motion Light Lab & Technology Access Program, Gallaudet University
Melissa Malzkuhn grew up in a proud Deaf family where storytelling was a daily joy — hands moved, faces glowed, and stories came alive in motion. That childhood wonder led her to create the Motion Light Lab at Gallaudet University, where she uses technology, animation, and interactive apps to teach ASL and literacy.
Dr. Christian Vogler was the kid who couldn’t resist taking apart electronics to see how they worked. Today, she directs the Technology Access Program, designing captioning systems and AI tools that make communication technology more accessible to Deaf and hearing users alike.
Together, Melissa and Christian prove that teamwork is STEM work. Their partnership earned them a place on the 2025 Forbes Accessibility 100 List for innovations that blend creativity, research, and inclusion.
Engineering – Adam Munder
Engineer & CEO of Comm-Verse, backed by Intel Corporation
As a Deaf child, Adam Munder loved his grandparents’ stories but couldn’t always join the conversation. Years later, at a doctor’s appointment with no interpreter available, he was told that his seven-year-old daughter would need to interpret for him. That experience reignited an old dream: to build technology that would make such moments unnecessary.
Already an engineer at Intel, Adam realized he could combine his technical skills with real-world experience. He co-founded Comm-Verse, a start-up developing AI-powered translation between American Sign Language and spoken English — allowing people to communicate with each other, not through someone else.
His work reminds young readers that engineering is empathy in action.
Math – Dr. Amie Fornah Sankoh
Biochemist & Researcher, Rochester Institute of Technology / NTID
Growing up in Sierra Leone, Amie Fornah Sankoh lost her hearing at age three after an illness. With limited access to education, she relied on determination and curiosity. Math and science became her refuge — a place where patterns and logic made sense even when communication was hard.
After moving to the United States, Amie pursued a career in biochemistry and mathematics, earning her Ph.D. from the Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf. In 2022, she became the first Deaf Black woman in the U.S. to earn a STEM doctorate, a milestone celebrated across the globe.
While sign languages differ around the world — just like spoken languages — her story proves that perseverance, curiosity, and learning are universal human strengths.
Closing Reflection: Deaf STEM Leaders
From Caroline’s polluted creek to Melissa’s family storytelling circle, from Adam’s doctor visit to Amie’s determination in Sierra Leone, these four Deaf leaders turned life’s challenges into sparks of innovation.
They remind us that STEM is for everyone — every curious child, every creative thinker, every hand ready to sign an idea into the world.
💜 At ASL Picture Books, we celebrate these voices and invite families to explore ASL literacy and STEM together. Visit aslpicturebooks.com to discover stories that nurture language, confidence, and limitless potential.
What the Research Says
Association for the Sciences of Limnology & Oceanography (2017). Ramón Margalef Award for Excellence in Education – Caroline M. Solomon.
Introductions Necessary Podcast (2024). Episode on Dr. Caroline M. Solomon.
Audiology Online (2025). Dr. Caroline M. Solomon Named President of NTID.
Gallaudet University News (2025). Forbes Accessibility 100 Honors Melissa Malzkuhn and Christian Vogler.
Motion Light Lab – Gallaudet University (2024). Program Overview.
Munder, A. (2023). “Trigger My Startup.” Medium. https://medium.com/@munder/trigger-my-startup-16fa388988bf
Good Good Good (2024). “TED Talk Spotlight: AI Bridging Sign Language and Speech.”
Chemistry World (2022). “Meet the first deaf Black woman to earn a STEM doctorate.” https://www.chemistryworld.com/careers/meet-the-first-deaf-black-woman-to-earn-a-stem-doctorate/4017468.article
NIH NIGMS Bioblog (2024). “Amie Fornah Sankoh: Trailblazer in STEM.” https://nigms.nih.gov/science-education/bioblog/2024/02/amie-fornah-sankoh.html
Keep the Journey Going
Love this story? Keep exploring the limitless potential of ASL! 💜👉 Read more inspiring posts on our blog, book an author visit, or grab your free ASL Alphabet Chart to keep signing with your little ones. Join our newsletter for stories, tips, and free resources that celebrate connection through sign language.
Meet the Author: Kathleen Marcath
Kathleen Marcath is the award-winning author of My Monster Truck Goes Everywhere with Me and the founder of ASL Picture Books. She’s on a mission to share the joy of bilingual (ASL and English) education, creating stories that help children and families discover the limitless potential of ASL.
Stay in Touch: Follow Kathleen on Facebook and Instagram, or visit ASLPictureBooks.com for more resources and community updates.
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