Staff from Assistive Technology of Alaska (ATLA) represented Alaska AgrAbility at the Disability Pride Celebration at the Delany Park Strip in Anchorage, Alaska. Vendors from a variety of disability support organizations across the state were present. Additionally, ATLA Staff traveled to Homer, Alaska, and met with clients and contacts to provide assistive technology assessments and share about the program.
As we all know, fair season is upon us. Art Nash, PI, and Debu Misra, co-PI, were sharing AgrAbility information at the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks and were interviewed by KTVF TV where they presented a tool that could be used for modified gardening. Debu also attended the Deltana Fair in Delta Junction in late July to share program information and provided public outreach.
Debu attended the 2023 Annual International Meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The meeting was held in Omaha, Nebraska, July 9-12. The meeting intends to expand awareness of current industry trends, promote and acknowledge innovations in design and technology, and provide opportunities for professional development - all with a focus on the economic, political, and societal impacts facing the industry. During the meeting, Debu interacted with several ASABE members about AKAgrAbility and received positive responses from them all. Many expressed their curiosity about the level of agricultural practices in Alaska, which opened the door for more broad discussion on AgrAbility. Debu shared some AKAgrAbility notes with those who were interested. Some of them had questions about the fishing and lumber industry, but those were after they had gone through the notes he shared. The interactions provided an opportunity to showcase and highlight AgrAbility to an interested audience.
Submitted by DeShana York