Deaf Studies Cluster

The Deaf Studies Cluster was among the first UCIS clusters established. Since 1996, we have engaged in a wide variety of activities pertaining to and involving individuals from the local, national, and international Deaf communities. Our activities draw participation from the faculty and student bodies of both the University of Rochester (UR) and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), as well as individuals from Rochester's Deaf community and sign language interpreting community. It is common for academic and community entities affiliated with the Deaf Studies Cluster to contribute funds or other resources (e.g., sign language interpreter services) to cluster-sponsored activities, thereby increasing the number and scope of activities we are able to conduct. Among the activities recently conducted or supported by the Deaf Studies Cluster have been several lectures by national and international Deaf community leaders and artists, workshops by scholars and researchers whose work focuses on deaf individuals and/or sign language, participation in Rochester's Deaf Film Festival, and the annual Deaf Strong Hospital role-reversal activity for medical students.

Rochester is home to the largest per-capital deaf population in the world. Along with NTID, the University of Rochester is home to several world-renowned education and research programs focused on deaf people. Our University, and the broader Rochester community, are uniquely suited to hosting and benefiting from the stimulating activities of the Deaf Studies Cluster.

Deaf Studies Chair — Robert Pollard
Psychiatry
Box Psych
(585) 275-3544 TTY/voice
robert_pollard@urmc.rochester.edu