Information:

QI's Power of NeuroGaming (PoNG) Center is invested in providing resources, research opportunities and professional training for young adults on the autism spectrum. PoNG is holding two virtual events on August 6 and 7 centered around neurodiversity in the field of technology.

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Event: PoNG Summer Internship Program Showcase

When: August 6, 11am–1pm

Register in advance for this webinar: http://pong-center.ucsd.edu/ponginternship2020/
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Description: The PoNG Neurodiverse Internship Showcase event is a celebration of the work that our interns have crafted over the past 8 weeks, working remotely in teams to create video games for research and education purposes. Please come and see the fantastic work of our interns.  We especially welcome representatives from Southern California technology companies as approximately half of our interns are actively job-seeking.

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Event: Neurodiversity in Tech Panel

When: August 7, 12pm-1pm

Register in advance for this webinar: https://bit.ly/2D1nF0a

Description: We often hear that the downside of technology is that it can isolate us. But what if you are already disconnected from those around you because of your genetic traits?

Autism is a life-long neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by difficulty communicating and interacting with others. With the help of technology and the power of video games, autistic individuals are developing social skills and learning focus techniques that are helping them navigate and excel in a “neural typical” world and opening up job opportunities.

Join a conversation about how a future neurodiverse workforce will benefit employers, who are discovering an untapped source of talent in autistic individuals, as well as society at large, which is learning there is more than one way to perceive the world.  

Panelists:

Leanne Chukoskie, Host and Moderator

Dr. Leanne Chukoskie is the Associate Director for the Research on Autism and Development Laboratory and also the Director of the Power of NeuroGaming (PoNG) Center at the University of California San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute. There she leads a diverse team of researchers and students that design and deliver gaze-driven video games - games you play with your eyes - that help those on the autism spectrum improve their focus. She is also the co-owner and co-founder of BrainLeap Technologies, a company dedicated to developing technologies that help individuals with autism and ADHD lead fuller lives.

Torrie Dunlap

Torrie Dunlap is the Chief Executive Officer at Kids Included Together, an organization that helps schools and other groups create environments that ensure no child is excluded. Dunlap found her life’s purpose when she taught a theater class for children that included a boy with Down syndrome. Kids Included Together helped her create a successful theater experience for this student and changed her worldview in the process. She began volunteering, joined the Board of Directors, became a staff member in 2003 and in 2012 became the organization’s Chief Executive Officer.

Amy Johnson

Amy is a mobile app designer living in Chicago. She has worked in several different work environments and has a unique perspective on what it means to design and work with others while being on the autism spectrum. In her spare time she is a painter. Her current paintings express her emotions though self-portraiture.

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts is the CEO and founder of the San Diego Code School. He is the founder of the first nonprofit Software Apprenticeship program in San Diego California and a board member of the San Diego JavaScript Community. He is a Fullstack JavaScript practitioner who has been coding for over 30 years, primarily using the MERN stack (MongoDb, Express.js, React, Node.js). When he is not off riding double centuries on a bike, he enjoys teaching web development and building Javascript tools that empower developers to be more productive.