Caroline M. Solomon facts for kids

Caroline M. Solomon is an American professor who helps deaf and hard-of-hearing students succeed in STEM fields. She teaches biology at Gallaudet University, a school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Caroline knows how hard it can be for deaf students in classes without sign language interpreters.

Because of this, she has created special tools. These tools help students and teachers connect with groups and interpreters. These interpreters understand how to help deaf students learn. She also helped create a database. This database helps standardize the vocabulary of American Sign Language signs for science and technology words. In 2017, she won an award for her new teaching ideas. It was the Ramón Margalef Award for Excellence in Education.

Early Life and Education

Caroline Solomon grew up in Delaware. When she was a baby, she got sick with spinal meningitis. This made her deaf. Her family could hear, so she faced challenges. As a teenager, she was a swimmer in the Deaflympics. She also became very interested in the environment. This was because she could not swim in a polluted creek near her home.

After high school, she went to Harvard University. She studied environmental science and public policy there. When she started at Harvard, there were no sign language interpreters. But the university hired one during her first semester. She earned her first degree in 1996. Caroline then continued her studies. She earned a master's degree in biological oceanography from the University of Washington. Later, in 2006, she earned her PhD in biological oceanography from the University of Maryland.

Her Career and Research

After finishing her master's degree, Caroline Solomon wanted to help other deaf students. So, in 2000, she joined the teachers at Gallaudet University. She became a full professor in 2011. Her research looks at how algae, bacteria, and viruses affect the environment. She studies how they react with nitrogen from farms and other human activities.

She studies waterways like the Chesapeake Bay and the Anacostia River. She checks for too much algae, called algal blooms, and other pollution. Her goal is to find ways to prevent these problems. This helps protect our natural waters.

Teaching in a Visual Way

Caroline knows that her students learn best by seeing things. So, she often teaches lessons in a visual way. For example, she might line up chairs to show skin. Then, a student pretending to be a pathogen tries to "break through." This helps students understand complex ideas.

She also works with different groups on summer research projects. These groups include the Anacostia Riverkeeper Project and the Maryland Sea Grant College Program. These projects help students learn how to do scientific research. They also learn why it's important to share their findings. This helps create better plans to protect the environment.

Helping Deaf Scientists

Caroline Solomon also helps organize national workshops. These workshops encourage more deaf and hard-of-hearing students to join STEM fields. In 2012, she led a workshop for the National Science Foundation. They talked about how to create mentoring programs for deaf scientists.

From this workshop, a special program was started. It created a database. This database helps deaf scientists connect with groups that support them. It also lists interpreters who know scientific words. Working with others, Caroline helped create a database of technical signs. These signs are used in American Sign Language for science terms. This helps make sure everyone uses the same signs for these words.

Awards and Recognition

Caroline Solomon has received several awards for her important work.

• In 2013, she won the Distinguished Faculty Award from Gallaudet University.
• In 2017, she received the Ramón Margalef Award for Excellence in Education. This award recognized her new and creative teaching methods.
• In 2020, she was honored for her swimming. She was inducted into the Deaflympics Hall of Fame.