Ashlyn B. '24 is wrapping up her time in Emma Willard School’s Signature Program, a capstone program for juniors and seniors that allows them to deeply explore a personal passion. Ashlyn has dedicated her work towards her project, “Disabilities Awareness: Engineering to Create Change.”

Ashlyn B. '24 wanted to make a difference in the community she serves. Through the Emma Willard School Signature program, she has been able to just that, using her time working with the Center for Disability Services to create an invention to make life better for those with disabilities. “Disabilities Awareness: Engineering to Create Change” explores her work with the Health Innovations Incubator & Technology Center (HII Tech), the research and development arm of the Center, focused on electrical engineering. 

Ashlyn’s road to Signature began after her experiences in STEAM-9 and STEAM-10, two classes offered during Emma Willard School student's 9th and 10th grade years. Between these courses, she learned how to code, experimented with circuit boards and their functions, and learned how to use Arduino, an open-source electronics platform based on hardware and software. By exploring these concepts in STEAM, Ashlyn decided to hone in on electrical engineering and how it could help change the world. 

Through her time in the Signature program, Ashlyn has a clearer vision on what a future in electrical engineer might look like. By partnering with the Center for Disability Services HII Tech incubator, Ashlyn gets to work alongside students from nearby Union College to design and create their invention. This partnership has presented her with the opportunity to build her skills' toolbox by learning how to build a project scope, collaborating with various vendors, and conducting in depth research about electrical engineering.

Ashlyn shared, “I hope that the project ends up being successful. But, it is more important to me that I get a better understand of what electrical engineering is and to see if I like it.” 

To learn more about Ashlyn project, visit her Signature website.