Note: This course is available for free to U-M SSW alumni as part of our Alumni Webinar Series, which features invited alumni speakers. Please know that non-alumni participants are welcome to register as well!
This online ethics course prepares social workers to go a step deeper into DE&I, specifically as it relates to the ethics of inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities. Learn the two predominant models of disability and identify ableism, both on a micro level as well as a macro level of discrimination. Identify ethical considerations surrounding unconscious bias towards disabled individuals and problematic language related to it, as well as other ethical challenges related to less visible disabilities and disclosure. Engages social workers in critical ethical awareness of disability inclusion principles, anti-ableist language, and accessibility in physical spaces as well as in technology.
Transfer learning — how information that is learned in one context can be transferred for use in a different setting — has far-reaching consequences for agents operating under domain shifts. This talk will present lessons learned in transfer learning for robots and for humans. First, the methodology of structural sim-to-real transfer for robots will be presented, which aims to learn the causal structure of a robot manipulation policy or skill in simulation first before deployment on a real robot system. This section of the talk will summarize two algorithms in this area, CREST and SCALE, that were recognized by NCWIT as a Collegiate Award Honorable Mention. I will then draw parallels to how transfer learning can empower navigation of domain shifts in humans using my gender and physical disability transitions as examples. This section will identify human attributes and characteristics, such as empathy, compassion, understanding, and appreciation of differences, that bolster other humans experiencing life transitions. Lastly, I will summarize work done towards teaching such attributes for first-year Ph.D. students at Carnegie Mellon University through the development and launch of 15-996: Introduction to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Computer Science.
Zoom link
This session will focus on raising awareness around disability and discussing strategies for increasing inclusion and accessibility. We will discuss suggestions for appropriate language and strategies for assisting individuals with disabilities. This session is intended to be a first step in inviting participants to think more deeply about disability and how to ensure that the university is inclusive and accessible to all members of the community.
This workshop is designed for University of Michigan master’s students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows. For faculty and staff, please contact rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu to see if we can accommodate your attendance.
Registration is required at https://myumi.ch/Nm3pR.
We want to ensure full and equitable participation in our events. If an accommodation would promote your full participation in this event, please follow the registration link to indicate your accommodation requirements. Please let us know as soon as possible in order to have adequate time, preferably one week, to arrange for your requested accommodations or an effective alternative.
University of Michigan’s Art & Design, Business, Engineering, and School of Information students are gearing up for the Integrated Product Development (IPD) Trade Show! Members of our community will gather to view and make purchase decisions from the “best of the best” of their work over the past semester in this interdisciplinary course.
IPD is an experiential, cross-disciplinary course that puts teams of students from Art & Design, Business, Engineering, and Information in a competitive product development environment. This innovative course has been featured on CNN and written in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Businessweek. The course is hosted by the Tauber Institute for Global Operations and is taught jointly by faculty members Eric Svaan of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and Stephanie Tharp from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design.
The Problem Statement: to design and produce a tangible product that lowers barriers to participation in outdoor activities by persons who have lost functional use of one or more limbs.
See the actual products and test them out. Then cast your vote! Network, have fun, and meet up with friends, old and new!
Parking is via street meter, or public parking is available in the Hill Street Structure Parking Garage.
The event is free and open to the public.
In this workshop we will explore the world of identity development and how it is impacted by Disability. We will unpack what a social construct is and whether or not Disability meets that definition. We will also examine how social constructs such as race and class interact with Disability. Moreso, we will discuss concepts such as Intersectionality and Simultaneity in relation to the individual living with a disabilities’ daily experience.
LSA DEI Workshops are open to all staff, faculty, undergraduate, and graduate employees in LSA. External guests may request to join, but due to space, may not be able to access the session.
Registration link
As social workers, it is imperative that we understand that psychotherapy and other forms of interpersonal practice can be biased against BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, those with disabilities, among those with marginalized identities. This session explores how psychotherapy can be biased, and how psychotherapists can and should be more inclusive, trauma-informed, and equity-driven in their practice with diverse clients. Speakers include Jess Kota, Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Therapist at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Vanessa Marr, psychotherapist at Amplify Colectivo; and Anao Zhang, U of M SSW Assistant Professor.
Registration link
For Disability Community Month 2023 (October), the Council for Disability Concerns, Disability Culture @ U-M, LSA Disability Navigators, and Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services are partnering in an effort to bring Dustin Giannelli of HearsDustin, a profoundly Deaf motivational speaker, to campus. We aim to bring attention to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing experiences, as well as steps our community can take to create more inclusive spaces and activities on campus.
