Light Up Gallaudet
Benjamin J. Bahan is a professor of ASL and Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University. He is known for his works in American Sign Language literature as a storyteller and writer covering Deaf Cultural Studies. He is known for his works on the stories "The Ball Story" and "Birds of a Different Feather", book - A Journey into the Deaf-World (1996) with Robert J. Hoffmeister and Harlan Lane. Bahan also co-wrote and co-directed the film Audism Unveiled (2008) with his colleague Dirksen Bauman.
After graduating from New Jersey School for the Deaf, Bahan attended Gallaudet University and received bachelor's degree in Biology in 1978. Afterwards, he worked at The Salk Institute in La Jolla, California where he researched American Sign Language linguistics and acquisition. Around that time he joined his college roommate in setting up DawnSignPress - a publishing company that publishes ASL and Deaf Cultural materials. Later he attended Boston University and received his doctorate degree in Applied Linguistics. During his studies at Boston University, Bahan coordinated and taught at the Deaf Studies Program in the School of Education. In 1996, he returned "home" to Gallaudet University.
Bahan's academic interests range from American Sign Language Literature, Linguistics and Cultural Studies. His enjoys creating, exploring and experimenting with different ideas along these academic domains. Bahan is part of the Motion Lab - a space where creative literature meets experimental media to create new knowledge. This project was done with members of the Motion Lab and students in his DST 735 Visual Studies course.