Dana Stabeno and Diversity inTechnology

  Valerie Thomas impact on Technology       Valerie Thomas is an American Scientist and inventor. She was born in Maryland in 1943; she is currently 82 years old. Valerie had a huge impact on Technology; she invented the Illusion Transmitter, for which she received a patent in 1980. She is also responsible for developing the digital media formats used in image processing systems that were used in the early years of NASA's Landsat program. The main thing that inspired Valerie was a demonstration she saw in 1976 that used concave mirrors to create the illusion of a light bulb remaining lit even when it was removed from the socket. From a young age, she was interested in electronics, mathematics, and physics. Young girls were not encouraged to study those subjects because, in a racially segregated society, they had fewer educational opportunities. That did not stop Valerie from pursuing her dreams. There are many ways we can help combat racial b...

 Jerry Lawson Impacted on Technology      Jerry Lawson is a self-taught electrical engineer and gaming pioneer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 1st, 1940, and died on April 9th, 2011. He helped create the first home console with interchangeable game cartagides, the Fairchild Channel F. His work revealutionalized the gaming indusrty and improved the consumer experince. From a young age he was always drawn to electronics, experimenting with gadgets, and repairing televisions. His parents, mainly his father supported him and encouraged his scientific pursuits. Lawson realized being in a mainly white dominated field meant more eyes were on him, and leading into postive and negative attention which meant he had to work harder and prove him and others that he deserved to be there just like the others. Many things can be done to combat racial bias in computing and technology today. We need to uplift and support people that come from different backgr...