For those who are deaf there are few words to turn to in American Sign Language that help them understand science and technology. 

Most words are spelled out. The grind of which often shakes students off the course of STEM learning.

It's one reason Lorne Farovitch looks for signs, or symbols, or logical ways to present some of the most important words in science. 

Farovitch, a University of Rochester Ph.D. candidate, helps to build new sign language for STEM through ASL Clear and ASL Core; online efforts to build an American sign dictionary that will aide in STEM learning and science and math interactivity. 

"Typically there were no signs for these things. Sometimes people in other states have their own signs. So a lot of people gave feedback about what they signed. And that helped us come up with what would be the best sign for these particular words," said Farovitch, an emerging infectious disease researcher by day and a sign wordsmith by night. 

Farovitch researches regional and cultural explanations for scientific words and develops the symols. They're introduced at the websites. Users provide feedback. There's no sign-off until deaf users give the thumbs up.

All involved hope it deepens the STEM pool. While 15 percent of the nation pursues STEM careers, only .002 percent of those who are deaf do.