Katherine D. Seelman facts for kids
Katherine Dolores Seelman is an American expert who works with science, technology, and public policy. She focuses on how people use telecommunications (like phones and the internet) and making things accessible for everyone.
Dr. Seelman is a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. She helps lead a research center that creates technology to improve people's lives. This center is supported by the National Science Foundation. She also used to be the director of a national institute that helped people with disabilities.
She has worked with many groups, including the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2006, she was one of nine international advisors who helped WHO write the first world report on disability. In Pennsylvania, she helps with state groups that focus on healthcare technology and disability. Dr. Seelman is hearing impaired herself, and she co-chairs a task force in Pittsburgh that works on disability issues.
Dr. Seelman earned her doctorate degree in public policy from New York University in 1982. She has received many awards for her important work. In 2002, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper called her a "Person Who Made a Difference."
Contents
What Does She Do?
Dr. Seelman's work is all about making technology and public services better for everyone. She especially helps people with disabilities. She looks at how new inventions and government rules can help people live fuller lives.
Technology for Everyone
She studies how technology can be designed so that it's easy for all people to use. This is called "universal design." For example, she might look at how a website can be made friendly for someone who can't see well. Or how a phone can be used by someone who can't hear.
Helping People with Disabilities
A big part of her work is making sure people with disabilities have the same chances as everyone else. She advises governments and organizations on how to create policies that support this goal. She believes that technology can be a powerful tool to help people overcome challenges.
Working with Big Organizations
Her role with the World Health Organization shows how important her work is globally. By helping to write the first world report on disability, she helped bring attention to the needs of people with disabilities worldwide. This report helps countries understand and improve their services.
