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Staff Directory
Jay Martin, Principal Investigator
Jay Martin earned his baccalaureate degree in Physics from Indiana University in 1976, received an M.S. in Engineering Science from the University of Tennessee in 1980, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1984. From 1975 to 1977, Jay served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya, teaching calculus and physics. In 1978, while pursuing his master’s degree, as a research associate at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jay worked on energy use forecasting, and the design and engineering modeling of advanced heat pump systems. From 1982 to 1984, as a PhD student at the University of Michigan, he worked as a researcher at the Combustion Research Facility of Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California. This work on the effect of turbulence on confined premixed turbulent flames formed the basis for his PhD thesis.
After completing his PhD, Jay took a position as a senior research engineer at the General Motors Research Laboratories in Warren, Michigan. One year later, he started a career as an academic, as an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During a yearlong sabbatical in Japan in 1991-1992, he participated as a member of the Central Research Laboratories of Nissan Motors in Yokosuka. Eventually Jay became the Director of the Engine Research Center at the University of Wisconsin. In 1999, he left the Engine Research Center to form UW-CREATe, the Center for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology. He is the current director of UW-CREATe.
Jay serves as the Principal Investigator for the Midwest Alliance. He has responsibility for the overall activities of the Alliance. In addition, he is directing the effort in Assistive Technology being carried out as part of the activities of Midwest.
He has been awarded the Society of Automotive Engineering Horning Award, is a Fellow of the SAE, received a University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor’s Award in 2005, and the Benjamin Smith Reynold’s Award for Teaching in 2006. As a result of patents he has received, he has been invited to audition for both the ABC New Inventors Competition and the PBS American Inventor series.
Contact Jay at:
martin@engr.wisc.edu or (608) 263-9460
Amy Fruchtman, Project Manager
Amy Fruchtman attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Communicative Disorders/Education in 1981. She taught English to adults in Jerusalem, Israel during 1981-82, and returned to Madison to complete a Master of Science degree in Communicative Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology in 1984. After graduation, Amy worked for four years in the Sun Prairie, WI School District, providing speech and language services to early childhood, elementary and middle school age children.
From 1989 to 2006, Amy worked at the University of Wisconsin’s Waisman Center, a center for research, teaching, service and outreach. For eight years Amy was the Sr. Clinical Speech Pathologist on an interdisciplinary team of professionals serving children with a wide range of developmental disabilities, providing consultation to families and teachers/service providers, and supervising graduate students as they completed their clinical practicums. From 1997 to 2006 Amy coordinated several U.S. Department of Education interdisciplinary personnel preparation grants designed to address the need for qualified and appropriately trained professionals to provide family-centered services for young children with low-incidence disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, autism, severe physical disabilities, and sensory (vision or hearing) disabilities.
In 2005-2006 Amy also worked as an assistant researcher and clinical reviewer for the Wisconsin Surveillance of Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities System (WISADDS), a project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amy has worked with colleagues and collaborators to establish and teach university courses and seminars. She has presented on a range of topics related to disabilities in early childhood, family-centered practices, autism spectrum disorders and communication strategies, and universal design for learning.
Since January 2006 Amy has served as the Project Manager for the Midwest Alliance.
Contact Amy at:
afruchtm@wisc.edu or (608) 262-6467
Greg Stefanich, Education Coordinator
Dr. Greg Stefanich is a Regents Professor at the University of Northern Iowa. His
scholarly activity emphasizes science education for students with disabilities. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Montana in 1971 and has served in a number of capacities in higher education. Recognitions include the Hubbard Outstanding Educator Award (2004),Ross A. Nielsen Distinguished Service Award (1998), Distinguished Scholar Award (1994), and Regents Award for Faculty Excellence (1993) from UNI; induction into the Iowa Academy of Education (2002); the R.P. Brimm Award for Outstanding Contributions to Middle Level Education in Iowa (1983); the Presidents Award from the National Middle School Association (1981), induction as a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005), Distinguished President Award Iowa-Nebraska District of Kiwanis International (2006), and Lifetime Service Award from the Association of Science Education for Students with Disabilities (2006).
He serves MIDWEST as the education coordinator providing professional development programs for practicing and pre-service science educators, preparing publications and seeking resources to enhance learning opportunities for students with disabilities in STEM education. He received notification in October 2007 that a grant proposal to the Roy J. Carver foundation was awarded.
“My experience serving as a staff member on the Midwest project has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to bring together over 40 years of experience as a professional educator to improve the lives of students with disabilities. The consortium of scientists, engineers, and student disability service providers from the University of Wisconsin and University of Illinois has significantly improved my knowledge base about opportunities and resources for students with disabilities who have STEM interests. I am very optimistic that results of the synergism emerging from this project will improve support structures and educational experiences for students with disabilities and provide ideas and stimulus for systemic change in education.”
Contact Greg at:
Gregory.stefanich@uni.edu or (319) 273-2073
Brad Hedrick, Severe Physical Disabilities Coordinator
Brad Hedrick earned his baccalaureate degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1974, and his M.S. in recreation administration from UNC-CH in 1980. He earned his Ph.D. in the Department of Leisure Studies, now Recreation, Sport and Tourism, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1984. From 1981 to 1995, Dr. Hedrick served as head coach of the University of Illinois’ varsity athletic teams for students with disabilities, as well as an administrator, researcher, and educator within the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES). For the last 10 years, he has served as the DRES Director. He has 33 years of professional experience in the fields of vocational rehabilitation and postsecondary disability support services, and has extensive experience and expertise in the administration of adapted sports and recreation for persons with disabilities. He has coached at the collegiate and international levels, and has authored two books, one book chapter, three monographs, 24 refereed/invited articles, 31 professional articles, and two instructional videotapes on a broad range of scientific and applied topics related to disability, rehabilitation and adapted sports and recreation. He has also made over 54 presentations at international, national and regional professional conferences on similar topics.
He presently serves as the Severe Physical Disabilities Coordinator for the Midwest Alliance. In that capacity, he supports Midwest Alliance initiatives directed at enhancing the access afforded students with severe physical disabilities to postsecondary education in STEM. In addition, his ongoing research interests include the validation of effective practices in optimizing the postsecondary educational success of students with disabilities; the assessment of the impact of physical activity upon the short and long term health and wellness of persons with physical disabilities, and the development of a postsecondary disability metrics model that can be systemically used throughout the state of Illinois to more accurately assess the access and outcomes experienced by students with disabilities enrolled in Illinois higher education institutions.
In 2006, Dr. Hedrick received the University of Illinois Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award and the College of Applied Health Sciences Academic Professional Excellence Award. He is a recipient of the Tolland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Disability Sports and the Paralyzed Veterans of America Jack Gerhardt Award. In 2005, he was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame for his contributions to the development of wheelchair basketball. He is a past Treasurer of the Association on Higher Education and Disability, and former National Wheelchair Basketball Association Division II Commissioner. He is a member of the Disability Access Committee of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and formerly served as the higher education representative to the Illinois State Advisory Committee on the Education of Children with Disabilities.
Contact Brad at:
bhedrick@illinois.edu or (271) 333-4601
Kim Collins, Psychological Disabilities Coordinator
Kim Collins earned her baccalaureate degree in biology with a minor in psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1989 and her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling psychology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 1989. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1995. Dr. Collins interned at Hines VA Hospital and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Professional Health Systems (a private practice of rehabilitation psychologists) both in Chicago, Illinois. She obtained licensure in Illinois as a licensed clinical psychologist in 1996 and is also a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC). From 1996 until 1999, Dr. Collins served as Clinical Director of Rehab Psychology Associates, a private psychology practice in Chicago, Illinois which specialized in rehabilitation psychology issues.
She came to the University of Illinois in 1999 as Coordinator of Cognitive and Psychological Disability Services and now serves as Assistant Director. Since coming to Illinois, she has expanded services to include neuropsychological evaluations, coaching, individual therapy, group therapy, summer transition program, and more intensive supports for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, acquired brain injury, Asperger’s/Autism, and psychological disabilities so that they can succeed at the post-secondary level. Dr. Collins is also an adjunct faculty in Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois and is involved in training counseling and clinical psychology students to work effectively with people with disabilities.
She has made over 50 presentations at international, national, and regional professional conferences on topics of providing supports for college students with cognitive and psychological disabilities, including being an invited speaker at NAMI, USPRA, and the First Annual Depression in College Campuses Conference at the University of Michigan to discuss the innovative programs she has developed.
Dr. Collins presently serves as the Psychological Disabilities Coordinator for the Midwest Alliance. In that capacity, she supports Midwest Alliance initiatives directed at enhancing the access afforded students with psychological disabilities to postsecondary education in STEM. In addition, her ongoing research interests include supported employment; the impact of being diagnosed with ADHD or a learning disability at the college level; outcomes and best practices in providing supports for students with psychological disabilities in post secondary education; and how exercise programs can help mitigate some of the symptoms of psychological disabilities.
Contact Kim at:
kdcollin@illinois.edu or (217) 333-4601
Dan Nordstrom, Outreach Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dan Nordstrom is the Midwest Alliance's Outreach Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Master in Social Work program, Dan brings an interdisciplinary, systems approach to the Midwest program goals and mission. Some of Dan's work experience has included providing direct services and supports to people with developmental disabilities, working as a volunteer job coach and youth mentor, and freelancing overseas as a writer, teacher, and humanitarian aid consultant. Dan is also married and has two children – a boy and girl. His interests include disability rights, international development, and innovations in web technology.
Dan’s skills in networking, and ability to provide useful resources, monitoring, and other support to young people engaged in educational and professional development benefit the Midwest Alliance program by increasing the number of people who know about the program, as well as the likelihood that they will get involved and ultimately become participants as a mentors, mentees, interns, and future employees and community leaders.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Midwest to further the progress that has been achieved in opening doors and presenting equal opportunities to all members of our society. It’s exciting to be a part of a consortium of professionals who are working on many different levels to affect change for the better.”
Contact Dan at:
dnordstrom@wisc.edu or (608) 890-0992
Michelle Petersen, Outreach Coordinator at the University of Illinois
Michelle Priddy is the Midwest Alliance Outreach Coordinator at the University of Illinois. As an avid supporter of science education and increasing the quantity and quality of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers and fields, she feels privileged to be a part of the Midwest Alliance.
An alumna of Purdue University with her master's degree in Science Education, she is a skilled educator with a demonstrated ability to teach, motivate and direct participants of all ages and abilities. Michelle has a diverse background in informal education which includes curriculum development, dissemination of research and educational material via a variety of avenues and the coordination of an assortment of educational and professional development programs and events. Before joining Midwest, she performed science education outreach for Marian University in Indianapolis as the Lead Science Education Specialist and EcoLab Environmental Education Coordinator working with students of a variety of ages and abilities. Her work at Marian University helped to develop her skills in establishing and maintaining professional relationships with K-12 and college students, parents, teachers and colleagues from a variety of institutions. These skills will assist the Midwest Alliance in achieving the goal of promoting the educational and professional success of students with disabilities.
"Through my experiences, I have come to realize that with their perseverance and determination to succeed in everyday life, students with disabilities are ideal candidates for STEM careers."
Contact Michelle at:
mpriddy@illinois.edu or (217) 244-1571
Liam Martin, Outreach Assistant
Liam Martin recently earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin in psychology. He also attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Madison Area Technical College (MATC). He is planning on applying to graduate school in psychology in the hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist. He has been working for the Midwest Alliance since the beginning of 2007 in several capacities.
He serves as the assistant to Dan Nordstrom, the Midwest Outreach Coordinator for Iowa and Wisconsin, and works with other Midwest Alliance staff on a number of research and service projects. He is currently working with other Midwest staff on a research study about the pre-purchase process of assistive technology.
Liam works for Midwest approximately 30 hours a week and can be contacted for any information about the outreach programs of the Midwest Alliance or any other pertinent information at:
