Neurodiversity in STEM:
“In diversity, there is beauty and there is strength.” Maya Angelou’s words express the very heart of the Neurodiversity Movement: that diversity and the differences of individuals composes the balance and harmony of our society. Rather than let the differences cause divisions, it is critical to consider the strengths and contributions of each individual. These strengths also play a significant role in professional settings, such as school and the workplace.
Many revolutionary scientists and figures, such as Stephan Hawkings, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Carol Grieder, identify as neurodiverse. However, the talents and skills of individuals who are neurodiverse are often underestimated and overlooked. According to an article by the Imperial College London, “only 16% of autistic adults are employed. This is one of the lowest employment rates of any group.” The author of the article, 16 year old Siena Castellon, is an award winning advocate of autism, and is passionate about physics and math. She also has autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD, and recounts her experiences as a female in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields and how she is looked down and made fun of. Castellon expresses, “My experience has taught me that academically gifted students with special educational needs (SEN) are being let down by a school system that does not cater for students like us.” Siena is referring to her experience being a part of numerous STEM summer programs, such as the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada, and Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory, and further describes how schools and educational opportunities perceive autistic students as weak links rather than recognizing and celebrating their strengths and successes. For this reason, she initiated a campaign in November 2018, called Neurodiversity Celebration Week, where she focused on advocacy related to schools’ perspectives of SEN students.
Siena Castellon’s experience is just one of many other experiences detailing the lack of support for neurodiverse individuals. And this lack of support discourages neurodiverse students from studying in STEM fields. An article written by the University of Connecticut School of Engineering discusses a literature review done by the department head, Maria Chrysochoou, exposing “only 3% of college students with ADHD study engineering, and while 34% of college students on the autism spectrum were enrolled in a STEM-related field, only 5% were enrolled in engineering programs.”
These statistics reveal the flaws of professional settings and must change. Diversity, whether it be in terms of race, religion, gender, or the mind, is essential in order to maintain a productive, efficient, and open minded workplace and society. Diversity enables new ideas and perspectives to be introduced. Diversity catalyzes progress.
Why Science:
When there are so many fields that fall under the categories of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), why did we choose to focus on science? Simply put, learning about science and empowering students, especially minorities, in fields related to science breaks down barriers. Science is a subject that interlaces math and art; it requires the knowledge and application, and relies on fact based evidence, leaving no room for assumptions, judgement, or bias. Science should be a field that welcomes all, as it benefits from a broad range of perspectives and ideas. These contribute to the critical thinking and problem solving necessary for any field of science, and the collaboration that is prevalent values numerous viewpoints and approaches.
Our focus on science is combating the issue at the root. Oftentimes in education, the neurodiverse are exposed to a different curriculum that fails to highlight the strengths they can potentially contribute to more advanced fields. The focus on neurodiversity as a disability, a downfall, a disorder, promotes the idea that the neurodiverse are incapable of being critical thinkers and hinders the growth mindset that is essential to creating future innovators and leaders. However, by educating the neurodiverse youth through a series of science workshops, Project Illuminate obtains the platform to empower individuals into viewing neurodiversity as a gift, a story, a perspective. The art of science, one that requires looking at the world through a more critical lens and a wider variety of perspectives enables the neurodiverse to understand that they have strengths that can be utilized in STEM. Neurodiversity is not a weakness, but rather, a strength. Underscoring the ability to learn despite their differences can set the stage for the neurodiverse youth to enter science based fields that may have otherwise appeared unattainable.
More than 3.5 million individuals in the United States live with an autism spectrum disorder and yet, a majority of those individuals have or will face obstacles when attempting to enter the STEM field as many employers fail to recognize the value in neurodiversity. In fact, the Autism Society states, “35 percent of young adults (ages 19-23) with autism have not had a job or received postgraduate education after leaving high school.” Typically composed of jobs that are detail orientated, rule abiding, and require innovative thinking, the strengths of the neurodivergent can serve as great assets in STEM. The way they approach the world permits the neurodivergent to see beyond the average scope and this talent can help develop STEM in unpredictable ways.
Project Illuminate’s ability to spark a passion for science in the neurodiverse youth can inspire them to chase more. “Differences, Not Disabilities”, explains the importance of setting stepping stones to change neurodiverse curriculum and rather than stripping them of lessons that are staples in neurotypical education, renovating teaching approaches are vital to realizing neurodiverse potential. The exposure to science may bring forth neurodiverse capabilities and change the way neurodiversity is perceived.
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