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==Biography==
==Biography==
Swanson was raised by her mother in [[San Diego, California]], after her father was killed in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=nmah/> She graduated from [[Orange Glen High School]] in 1975, and while in high school, she worked a part-time job at [[Sears]]. Not only was she the youngest, she was also the only female salesperson in the television and sound system department and she received awards for her work in sales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://invention.si.edu/innovative-lives-janese-swanson-beyond-pink-and-fluffy|title=Innovative Lives: Janese Swanson, Beyond Pink and Fluffy {{!}} Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation|website=invention.si.edu|language=en|access-date=2017-02-01}}</ref> She earned a bachelor's degree in [[liberal studies]] in 1981 from [[San Diego State University]], and went on to work as a teacher, a [[flight attendant]] and a [[Model (profession)|model]].<ref name=gadgets/> She convinced a computer company to donate [[laptop]]s, and taught her mainly female fellow flight attendants how to use them during their spare time.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}
It began in San Diego, California, where she was the second oldest of six-children in a single parent family. She was raised by her mother in [[San Diego, California]], after her father was killed in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=nmah/> Her mother had two jobs, and all the responsibility of the younger siblings and the household fell in Janese. That is how began her interest in children, since she was young, as did her concern with management and organization. She graduated from [[Orange Glen High School]] in 1975, and while in high school, she worked a part-time job at [[Sears]]. Not only was she the youngest, she was also the only female salesperson in the television and sound system department and she received awards for her work in sales.

Her family had a tight budget, that was the reason why she starter learning broken appliances, then she discovered she had a talent for and love of tinkering with machines. Swanson never dreamed with being an inventor. Even she was fascinated by technology, she never heard of any women inventors or engineers before. Society was basically telling her that careers in technology was not for women, because that is what men do.


She also continued her studies, eventually earning a total of seven academic degrees<ref name=ilives/> including a doctorate in organization and leadership, with a doctoral [[thesis]] on gender issues in [[product design]], play patterns and gender preferences.<ref name=week/> Swanson received her Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership Technology in 1997 from the [[University of San Francisco]].<ref name=nmah>{{cite web|url=http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/AC0642.html|title=Guide to the Janese Swanson Innovative Lives Presentation and Interview|publisher=[[National Museum of American History]]|accessdate=2013-09-25}}</ref>
She also continued her studies, eventually earning a total of seven academic degrees<ref name=ilives/> including a doctorate in organization and leadership, with a doctoral [[thesis]] on gender issues in [[product design]], play patterns and gender preferences.<ref name=week/> Swanson received her Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership Technology in 1997 from the [[University of San Francisco]].<ref name=nmah>{{cite web|url=http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/AC0642.html|title=Guide to the Janese Swanson Innovative Lives Presentation and Interview|publisher=[[National Museum of American History]]|accessdate=2013-09-25}}</ref>
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Swanson worked as Education Coordinator at the [[United States Mint]], and was a founder at The Art Apprentice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theartapprentice.com|title=Welcome|publisher=The Art Apprentice}}</ref> She is now an art teacher in the [[Del Mar Union School District]], and uses computer technology to encourage students' creation of art work.<ref name=leanin/> Her students' work has received an "Innovative Video In Education" (iVIE) award in 2008 from the [[San Diego County]] Office of Education,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivieawards.org/ivie08/special.asp?loc=special&vid=6-8LA_shrinking|title=Special Achievement Awards: "The Incredible Shrinking Students"|publisher=iVIE Awards|year=2008}}</ref> and she was the education chair of [[SIGGRAPH]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siggraph.org/s2007/media/factsheets/edu.html|title=Educators Program Fact Sheet|publisher=[[SIGGRAPH]]|year=2007}}</ref>
Swanson worked as Education Coordinator at the [[United States Mint]], and was a founder at The Art Apprentice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theartapprentice.com|title=Welcome|publisher=The Art Apprentice}}</ref> She is now an art teacher in the [[Del Mar Union School District]], and uses computer technology to encourage students' creation of art work.<ref name=leanin/> Her students' work has received an "Innovative Video In Education" (iVIE) award in 2008 from the [[San Diego County]] Office of Education,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ivieawards.org/ivie08/special.asp?loc=special&vid=6-8LA_shrinking|title=Special Achievement Awards: "The Incredible Shrinking Students"|publisher=iVIE Awards|year=2008}}</ref> and she was the education chair of [[SIGGRAPH]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siggraph.org/s2007/media/factsheets/edu.html|title=Educators Program Fact Sheet|publisher=[[SIGGRAPH]]|year=2007}}</ref>

Her mission is to help the way society have perceptions for girls, and the way girls have perceptions of themselves as well. Girls Tech was founded in 1995, and it has already four published books based on technologies for girls. She has been recognized in Ms. Magazine's "Women of the Year" issue on January, 1997, and received other different awards. She also have the web site [[Girls in Tech]]. This page have pages with a bunch of different languages and receives over two million hits per month, from more than 80 countries. In March, 1998, she and her daughter Jackie, were featured speakers in the Lemelson Center's Innovative Lives program, where they met with teachers and girls from four middle schools in Washington, D.C., to talk about the program, activities, and mission of Girl Tech.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 21:08, 1 February 2017

Janese Swanson
Born1958 (age 65–66)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSan Diego State University University of San Francisco
Occupation(s)Inventor
Software developer

Janese Swanson (born 1958)[1] is an American inventor and software developer. Swanson co-developed the first of the Carmen Sandiego educational games, and founded the company Girl Tech,[2][3] which creates products aimed at making technology more interesting for girls. She has developed award-winning curricula, electronic toys, and books that encourage girls to explore technology and inventions. Her toy inventions include the Snoop Stopper Keepsake Box, Me-Mail Message Center, Zap N’ Lock Journal, and Swap-It Locket. Her publications include Tech Girl's Internet Adventures, Tech Girl's Activity Book, and Girlzine: A Magazine for the Global Girl.

Biography

It began in San Diego, California, where she was the second oldest of six-children in a single parent family. She was raised by her mother in San Diego, California, after her father was killed in the Vietnam War.[4] Her mother had two jobs, and all the responsibility of the younger siblings and the household fell in Janese. That is how began her interest in children, since she was young, as did her concern with management and organization. She graduated from Orange Glen High School in 1975, and while in high school, she worked a part-time job at Sears. Not only was she the youngest, she was also the only female salesperson in the television and sound system department and she received awards for her work in sales.

Her family had a tight budget, that was the reason why she starter learning broken appliances, then she discovered she had a talent for and love of tinkering with machines. Swanson never dreamed with being an inventor. Even she was fascinated by technology, she never heard of any women inventors or engineers before. Society was basically telling her that careers in technology was not for women, because that is what men do.

She also continued her studies, eventually earning a total of seven academic degrees[3] including a doctorate in organization and leadership, with a doctoral thesis on gender issues in product design, play patterns and gender preferences.[2] Swanson received her Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership Technology in 1997 from the University of San Francisco.[4]

In the late 1980s, Swanson was hired by Brøderbund Software as a product manager, where she helped develop The Treehouse, The Playroom, and the Macintosh edition of the game Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?.[5] She invented gadgets for her daughter, including a voice recording device that she hoped to install in Jackie's day care cubby and in her own office. I missed her so much that I used to call my home answering machine to hear her voice, and I thought this would let me talk to her during the day.[1] In 1992 she left Brøderbund to develop a follow-on device that electronically altered a voice's pitch and modulation, which she licensed to Yes! Entertainment (which marketed it as the Yak Bak), and to Tiger Electronics for its Talkboy FX.[1]

In 1995 Swanson decided that she wanted to create toys aimed specifically at girls, and founded Girl Tech as an independent company with headquarters near her home in San Rafael, California.[citation needed] Products included the "Friend Frame" talking picture frame, the "Keepsafe" storage box with a remote-controlled lock, and a remote listening device called "Bug 'Em".[citation needed] Swanson claimed that her vision for the company did not match the expectations of existing toy distributors: "For two years after I founded the company, toy store buyers would say, 'Can you make it pink?' 'Can't you make it for boys?' And I would say, 'No, this is what girls like to play with.'"[1] She later sold the company to Radica Games, now a division of Mattel, for $6 million.[1] She has also licensed her technologies to Hasbro and Sega.[6]

Swanson worked as Education Coordinator at the United States Mint, and was a founder at The Art Apprentice.[7] She is now an art teacher in the Del Mar Union School District, and uses computer technology to encourage students' creation of art work.[6] Her students' work has received an "Innovative Video In Education" (iVIE) award in 2008 from the San Diego County Office of Education,[8] and she was the education chair of SIGGRAPH in 2007.[9]

Her mission is to help the way society have perceptions for girls, and the way girls have perceptions of themselves as well. Girls Tech was founded in 1995, and it has already four published books based on technologies for girls. She has been recognized in Ms. Magazine's "Women of the Year" issue on January, 1997, and received other different awards. She also have the web site Girls in Tech. This page have pages with a bunch of different languages and receives over two million hits per month, from more than 80 countries. In March, 1998, she and her daughter Jackie, were featured speakers in the Lemelson Center's Innovative Lives program, where they met with teachers and girls from four middle schools in Washington, D.C., to talk about the program, activities, and mission of Girl Tech.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Inventor Fills Girls' Desire for Their Own Gadgets". New York Times. 1999-09-30. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  2. ^ a b "Inventor of the Week: Janese Swanson". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  3. ^ a b "Beyond Pink and Fluffy: Janese Swanson". Smithsonian Institution. 2005-03-03.
  4. ^ a b "Guide to the Janese Swanson Innovative Lives Presentation and Interview". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  5. ^ "Inventor Fills Girls' Desire for Their Own Gadgets - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Janese Swanson - Art & Design Educator". Lean In. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  7. ^ "Welcome". The Art Apprentice.
  8. ^ "Special Achievement Awards: "The Incredible Shrinking Students"". iVIE Awards. 2008.
  9. ^ "Educators Program Fact Sheet". SIGGRAPH. 2007.
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