Jason Hurdich

==Early life and education==
Jason Hurdich: , also known as J.H., is a renowned Deaf native ASL signer from New York City. He attended the Lexington School for the Deaf https://www.lexnyc.org/ and received his B.A. in Political Science from Boston University.www.bu.edu He is known for being one of the distinguished alumni with expertise in American Sign Language (ASL) and the Deaf Community. Mr. Hurdich is well known for his sign language interpretation work alongside former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley https://nikkihaley.com/ during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. 
In 2013, he made history by becoming the first Deaf graduate of the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in Signed Language Interpretation at the University of North Florida. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhurdich/
==Career==
With thirty years of experience teaching college-level ASL and Signed Language Interpretation classes, Mr. Hurdich has become an accomplished educator, interpreter, and scientist. 
In addition to his work as an interpreter, Mr. Hurdich has had an impressive career as a researcher and scientist. He worked for almost ten years as a Team Leader of Sign Language Projects for Vcom3D, Inc., where he was responsible for creating STEM content material in American Sign Language. https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/372462 https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/344178 https://www.inknowvation.com/sbir/companies/vcom3d-inc 
In 2008, Jason Hurdich published an article titled "Utilizing lifelike, 3D animated signing avatar characters for the instruction of K-12 Deaf learners" in the Proceedings of the Exploring Instructional and Access Technologies Symposium National Technical Institute for the Deaf Journal. 
The article focuses on the work of Vcom3D, Inc., a leading company in the research and development of technology to help teach K-12 Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students. According to the article, Vcom3D's SigningAvatar® characters have been shown to significantly improve many children's attention span, engagement, and academic results. The technology was evaluated at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. The results showed that comprehension increased from 17% to 67% when shifting from text-only to text accompanied by sign language using the SigningAvatar technology. 
In 2010, Mr. Hurdich and his Vcom3D team won the Brightest Idea Award at the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI)https://www.nationaltechcenter.org/ National Conference in Washington D.C., which was voted on by peers and experts in their field at the Conference's Tech Exposition, a showcase of emerging and exciting technologies and research. 
In 2012, Mr. Hurdich was one of the translators for "One Day On Earth" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1900946/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1 ref_=nm_knf_t_1 
==Interpreting during emergencies==
Mr. Hurdich gained widespread recognition for his interpretation during Hurricane Matthew in 2016, including alongside then-South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is also a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President Donald J. Trump's administration and a candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election. https://account.charlotteobserver.com/paywall/subscriber-only?resume=106691537&intcid=ab_archive https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article213523914.html 
During Hurricane Matthew, a t-shirt company based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina immortalized his image on a t-shirt, in recognition of his work. https://account.islandpacket.com/paywall/subscriber-only?resume=108607362&intcid=ab_archive 
In addition, he interpreted for then-South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's press conferences during Hurricane Irma in 2017. https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article171674347.html 
In 2020, Mr. Hurdich played a crucial role in providing access to information for the Deaf community during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis by interpreting for city, county, and state officials in Greenville County. He also advocated for the use of clear masks to improve communication access for individuals who rely on American Sign Languages and gestures. 
==Public Speaking and Motivation==
Mr. Hurdich has served as a public speaker and motivator, presenting at various public and private schools in the area to discuss his advocacy work. 
==Advocacy and Community Contributions==
In 2019, Mr. Hurdich co-founded one of the largest American Sign Language (ASL) coffee socials in Greenville, South Carolina with a few members of the Deaf community, which has since transformed the ASL community in the region. https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2019-05-16/how-social-media-and-coffee-are-changing-deaf-culture-in-south-carolina 
In addition, Hurdich has been actively involved in promoting fire safety for the deaf and hard of hearing community in South Carolina. He has worked to raise awareness about devices that alert individuals with hearing loss during a fire emergency. https://account.heraldonline.com/paywall/subscriber-only?resume=213523914&intcid=ab_archive https://www.wjbf.com/news/south-carolina-news/south-carolina-program-offers-free-smoke-detectors-for-those-who-are-deaf-or-hard-of-hearing/ 
Mr. Hurdich serves as the Board Secretary of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) for the 2021-2024 Term. https://rid.org/about/#tab-54fbfdd4e62dec56890 https://theorg.com/org/registry-of-interpreters-for-the-deaf/org-chart/jason-hurdich
Mr. Hurdich is a Senior Lecturer of American Sign Language at Clemson University. https://www.clemson.edu/caah/academics/languages/languages/facultybio.html?id=2145 https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/education/2017/08/09/rock-star-deaf-interpreter-teach-asl-clemson/544573001/ https://gvltoday.6amcity.com/former-gov-nikki-haleys-american-sign-language-interpreter-now-teaching-clemson
Category:People from New York City
Category:Boston University alumni
Category:University of North Florida alumni
Category:American Sign Language