Cary Supalo currently serves as a research developer at ETS. His primary responsibilities are assisting with conducting usability studies on current and new innovative products. Additionally, he works with key stakeholders both internally and externally to promote inclusion and equity for all test takers.
Supalo earned his Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in 2010 in the field of chemistry education. He completed his master of science in inorganic chemistry from Penn State in 2005 and his undergraduate studies at Purdue University with a duel degree major in chemistry and communications.
His research interest is in accessibility making science learning experiences more accessible in a hands-on way for students who are blind or otherwise print disabled. He successfully served as principal investigator on a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to develop the first text-to-speech enabled scientific data logger, which he commercialized through his small business called Independence Science. He has also served as a grant reviewer for NSF and the U.S. Department of Education. Additionally, he currently chairs the ad hoc committee for chemistry for the Braille Authority of North America. He leads a group of blind chemists and Braille transcribers, who are working to revise the Braille Code for Chemical Notation 1997 revision. Supalo is a member of the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Community Activities. This committee plans for both Chemists Celebrate Earth Week and National Chemistry Week. Additionally, he has served as the chair for National Chemistry Week 2021, as an active member of the National Federation of the Blind, and as a mentor for students who are blind seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.