Journey through Life
The experiences of a techie aspie
Scott M. Robertson
E-mail: smrobert@andrew.cmu.edu
AIM: hppalm
About Me
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Currently: master’s student at Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburgh
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Studying human computer interaction
HCI is a multidisciplinary computer science-related field
concerned about designing computing systems to support
human needs and usability issues
Upcoming: starting a Ph.D. program at Penn State in
late August
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Will study information science and technology
Will be doing research on educational technology for students
with learning disabilities/special needs and assistive
technology for people w/ disabilities in general
AIM: to become a college professor
CMU
Photo by Sebastian Stueker
Penn State
Provided by psu.edu
Family
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2 siblings
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Older brother (Jeff)=web page developer at ABC News Online
in NYC
Older sister (Lori)=special education teacher at school for
students with learning disabilities (Lab School) in Washington,
D.C.
Parents run small engineering business that
manufactures heaters for machines (ex. cooking)
Parents have 2 yr old poodle called Sam
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Named after Uncle Sam since we got him in November of ’01
2 months after Sept. 11
He’s the greatest when I do get to see him
Pets make good friends
Growing Up
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Grew up in Wayne, NJ
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town of about 55,000
ppl. in northern part of
state
my family’s house is in a
private lake community
called Pines Lake
Born in Chilton hospital
in Pequannock (where
Derek Jeter was born)
Photo by Lynn Brescia
Early years
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Did not talk much until age 3 ½-4. Then came
out in full sentences
Very delayed motor skills
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Did not enjoy interacting w/ ppl.
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Did not walk until age 2 ½
Did not make eye contact
Did not like to smile or pose for pictures
Hated haircuts
Elementary School
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Mainstreamed in elementary school
Labeled as neurologically impaired
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Not diagnosed w/ autism, so they used this label
Received pullout services for OT, PT, speech, &
resource/skills room
Did well academically but had few friends
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One best friend named Ziggy
We still keep in touch
Provided by wayneschools.com
Middle School: The Evil Empire
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Sixth grade at the local middle school was
uncomfortable
Got all A’s in classes but picked on &
teased constantly
Stopped liking school &
became very unhappy
Parents didn’t know what
to do
Private School Helps
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My parents enrolled me in a private school
called Morristown-Beard School in Morristown,
NJ for 7th grade
30-minute drive meant about a 45 mins-1hr.
bus trip each way every day
Still had trouble making friends but teasing
largely stopped and I liked school again
MBS
Provided by Morris County Online
MBS (Cont.)
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I spent 6 years at MBS (7th thru 12th)
Co-editor-in-chief of yearbook senior yr.
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Ironically named “most shyest” as the editor
French:
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5 years of French mostly because of flair for writing and
grammar
Exchange trip junior yr
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3 weeks in France w/ a host family & then hosted my exchange
student
Inducted into French Natl. Honors Society
Inducted into Cum Laude Society junior yr.
Special Interests->Jobs
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My special interest is computers
I’ve been messing around w/ computers and
software since my Grandpa took me under his
wing when I was 8
Earth science teacher in H.S. taught CS1 jr. yr.
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Fostered my love for programming software
Went on to also take CS2 senior yr.
Chose to major in computer science in college
RPI: A good fit
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College advisor in H.S. suggested RPI as a
good fit for me
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RPI=Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY
Has good LD services
Good engineering & computer science programs
Applied early decision to RPI in October
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Accepted in December
Bump in the Road
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In the summer of ’99 my mom sent to RPI’s LD
services office the IQ test I had taken to get the SATs
w/ extra time
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The LD services director believed I would flunk out first
semester
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Was not classified as LD at MBS, so needed this for
documentation
My IQ tests much lower than my real intelligence
My mom cried at the news
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I had nowhere else to go since I had been accepted early
decision
Bump in the Road (Cont.)
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My mom convinced the LD services director
that I could make it through
I got straight As through my first year & ½
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In fact I received As in all but one class during my
time at RPI (I got a B in Modules of Computation)
RPI: My Home for 4 yrs
Photo by Dustin Kirk
Photo by Scott Robertson
The Little Professor Syndrome
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While taking class called Minds & machines
freshman yr, read a book called Mindblindness
by Dr. Simon Baren-Cohen of Cambridge
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Research for a paper on the book led me to realize I
had Asperger’s Syndrome
Explained so much in my life
Others out there just like me
Clubs for spare time
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In beginning of sophomore yr. I joined student
newspaper (The Polytechnic) as a staff writer
for news section
News coordinator for most of semester & then
an editor thereafter
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2 semesters: Associate News Editor
2 semesters: Features Editor
last semester: Contributing Editor (third in charge)
The Poly
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The Poly become second home of sorts
I had office keys so I could study there and
come & go as I pleased
Made many good friends
Interviewed 100s ppl. for stories
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Administrators, staff, coaches, students, local
citizens
Good for developing better sense of ppl’s viewpoints
Graduation (May ’03)
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Worried about tripping at commencement but did just
fine
Graduated Summa Cum Laude (3.96 GPA) w/ B.S. in
computer science & minor in human factors
psychology
Faculty procession gave me congratulations as they
left since most knew me from Poly interviews
Sad to leave RPI but needed to move on
HCI program
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HCI program focuses on group work
Very difficult because requires complex social
& communication skills
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Exponentially harder than one-on-one interaction
I see it as a challenge to improve on my social
skills
Done well so far in master’s program
My Teaching
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Autistic Support Class:
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Summer Computing Workshop:
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On Fridays I teach at an autistic support class at Langley H.S.
in Pittsburgh
We discuss social skills and work on activities of interest to
them (ex. photography)
I’m a staff instructor at the computing workshop at Carnegie
Mellon for young students with cognitive disabilities
I teach computing and writing skills to the students
Kids are really great at both & fun to work with
College Students w/ ASDs
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Achieving in Higher Education w/ Autism &
Developmental Disabilities (AHEADD) is a new
initiative to provide non-academic supports for students
w/ AS/HFA at universities & colleges in Pittsburgh
We have a grant from the Pennsylvania State Dept. of
Education
CMU will provide meeting space
We will start assisting students in September
I hope to promote the model nationwide
Contact Me
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E-mail: smrobert@andrew.cmu.edu
AOL IM: hppalm
Cell: (973) 464-6315
Questions?