Teresa Monsees
Sign Language Learning Aid UNL Mechanical Engineering '25 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Inspired by her personal connections within the deaf community, Teresa is committed to creating inclusive learning experiences that move beyond traditional screen-based methods. She is currently striving to develop a robotic learning aid that assists deaf and hard-of-hearing children in language development through sign language. Unlike traditional toys in the accessibility market which rely on static poses or visuals on screens, her concept features a set of robotic hand-manipulators capable of signing to communicate, enabling more direct communication in addition to being able to convey emotion and pacing through gesture - a key component of communicating through signing.
NOTABLE OUTCOMES:
Teresa has balanced her Fellowship development with ongoing academic work and an active family life, simultaneously earning her NCEES EIT license in Mechanical Engineering, maintaining a full academic calendar, and successfully completing her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from UNL. At the same time, she has made great strides in proving the concept of her project, rapidly iterating through design revisions to achieve a prototype that is both practical and functional.
ABOUT TERESA:
Teresa Monsees is a mechanical engineering alumnus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She recently collaborated on a project to program a three-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to plant and water a personal herb garden and has recently completed her senior capstone project. In her free time, she enjoys playing board games with her husband, hosting Dungeons and Dragons sessions, and working on her pickup. She aspires to combine her creativity and technical knowledge to one day own and operate her own business.