Keynote Speakers
Harry G. Lang
Rochester, New York, USA
Keynote Presentation Title:
"Discovery through Biographies in Deaf History:
Reflections on Research and Writing"
Harry Lang is a retired professor from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he taught for 41 years. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Leeds (United Kingdom). Harry received his education at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) in Pittsburgh, Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia (B.Sc. in Physics), Rochester Institute of Technology (M.S. in Electrical Engineering), and University of Rochester (Ed.D. in Science Curriculum and Teaching).
A prolific author, Harry has published nine books and numerous book chapters and articles including such biographical works as: Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences: A Biographical Dictionary (1995, co-authored with his wife, Bonnie Meath-Lang), Edmund Booth, Deaf Pioneer (2004), Teaching from the Heart and Soul: The Robert F. Panara Story (2007), and Moments of Truth: Robert R. Davila, the Story of a Deaf Leader (2007, co-authored with Oscar P. Cohen and Joseph E. Fischgrund). He was the senior history advisor on the production team of the award-winning documentary, Through Deaf Eyes, which was successfully released and aired on many national PSB stations in 2007. He completed a historical account of his alma mater (WPSD) in 2009, and is currently working on a book, which documents the Deaf Experience during the American Civil War, as well as a biography of the Deaf poet and journalist, Laura Redden Searing. Harry has been a member of the Deaf History International organization for nearly 20 years.
His keynote presentation will focus on the importance of biographical writing and research, sharing discoveries, motivating stories, and enlightening the audience with key messages on what we learn from biographies.
Ulla-Bell Thorin
Lindome, Vaestra Goetaland, Sweden
Keynote Presentation Title:
"Autobiographies: Telling Your Story"
Ulla-Bell Thorin is a retired autobiographer with six published books to her credit. She was born into a family of farmers outside Gothenburg, Sweden. Her first encounter with sign language was at the age of two when she began attending a preschool program for Deaf children in the city. After attending a 10-year Deaf school program in Vänersborg, Örebro, and Växjö, Ulla-Bell attended adult education college courses, and then pursued studies at Stockholm University and Gothenburg University.
During her 25-year career as a teacher with Deaf children and adults and other programs such as the training program for interpreters for Deaf-Blind individuals, Ulla-Bell did extensive personal journal writing from her life. This led her to become a published author, taking after her inspiring mother, author of 20 books. Ulla-Bell published the following books, all focusing on the realities of Deaf persons and based on her own life and those around her: (1) Berövatspråk (Deprived of Language) in 1993, (2) Berövadkärlek (Deprived of Love) in 1994, (3) Törnetårar (Tears of Thorn) in 1998, (4) Tolktrubbel (Interpreters Troubles) in 2003, (5) Värdarespekt (Worthy of Respect) in 2005, and (6) Med högburethuvud (With Your Head Held High) in 2007. She is currently working on another writing project – about sign language.
Ulla-Bell has been a familiar face at past Deaf History International Conferences. She was a board member with the Swedish Deaf History Society and in Gothenburg, she has had a long-standing connection with their local Deaf organization for 50 years. She is known in Europe for her entertaining and touching presentation style.
Her keynote presentation will focus on why and how she authored six autobiographical historical novels. She will draw on elements of her autobiographies to tell her life story and to instruct on the importance of and techniques for effective autobiographical writing.
Peter W. Jackson
Winsford, England, United Kingdom
Keynote Presentation Title:
"Finding the Connections: Researching 17th Century Deaf Lives"
Peter Jackson has been an author and editor of several publications pertaining to British Deaf History. He received his education at the Royal School for the Deaf in Old Trafford, Manchester and Burwood Park School for the Deaf in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.
In 1983, Peter became the first holder of the Allan B. Hayhurst Research Fellowship at the Durham University, where he started researching into Deaf people's lives. He later landed the position of curriculum manager for Deaf Studies at City College Manchester.
Peter has been a frequent presenter on British Deaf History topics at local, regional and national conferences and workshops in the United Kingdom. He has an extensive collection of his published works, some of which include Deaf Crime Casebook (1997), A Pictorial History of Deaf Britain (2001), Manchester Memoirs: A Pictorial Record of A Manchester School for the Deaf (2001, co-authored with David Woolley), DEAF LIVES: Deaf People in History (2001, co-edited with Raymond Lee), The Gaudy Manuscripts (2004), Deaf Killers (2006), The Story of Three London Deaf Schools in Nightingale Lane (2010) and The Origins of the British Deaf Association (2010, co-authored with Raymond Lee). His next book, Alexander Popham's Notebook, is due for publication in 2012.
Upon his retirement from City College Manchester in 2009, Peter became the chief executive officer of the British Deaf History Society, a position he still holds today. He is currently the president of the Deaf History International organization.
His keynote presentation will focus on the lives of five Deaf people who lived between 1620 and 1707, namely, the Gostwicke brothers, the Gaudy brothers, and Alexander Popham.