David Chesney Speaks at TEDxUofM

Dr. David Chesney spoke at “Untapped,” the fourth annual TEDxUofM ideas convention, which took place April 5, 2013 at the Power Center for the Performing Arts. His talk was entitled “Shouts and Whispers: Small Events Leading to Big Changes.”

Dr. Chesney thoroughly enjoys teaching in the Computer Science and Engineering Division at the University of Michigan. Small events from his past have led him to weave social context into his courses where possible and appropriate. In his TEDxUofM talk, he discussed the rich collaboration that has arisen between the College of Engineering, the U-M Health System, and Microsoft which has enabled his students to develop games and apps for children with cognitive and physical disabilities at CS Mott Children’s Hospital.

TEDxUofM is a university-wide initiative to galvanize the community for an event like no other; filled with inspiration, discovery, and excitement. Borrowing the template from the world-renowned TED conference, TEDxUofM aims to bring a TED-like experience to the University of Michigan. Our vision is to showcase the most fascinating thinkers and doers, the “leaders and best” in Michigan terms, for a stimulating day of presentations, discussions, entertainment, and art that will spark new ideas and opportunities across all disciplines.

Dr. David Chesney is a lecturer in Computer Science and Engineering. He teaches ENGR 100 and EECS 481, Software Engineering, among other courses. His sections of ENGR 100 are generally dedicated to “Gaming for the Greater Good,” in which students develop video games with a focus on social good. In 2010, Some of his EECS 481 students developed an iPad application to enable people with cerebral palsy to send email. In recent sections of his EECS 481 class, his students have developed video games using Microsoft Kinect hardware with an intended therapeutic value for children on the autistic spectrum. Dr. Chesney is active in K-12 outreach, and has organized and run a number of summer camps aimed at engaging girls and young people in the field of computer science. He participates in the CSE division’s annual CS4HS workshop for high school teachers.