💫 Celebrating Neurodiversity in STEM

Neurodiversity means that every person’s brain is unique and different from everyone else’s because of how our environment shapes our brains. This means that no two people have the exact same nervous system.  This means that individuals who are neurodivergent, such as those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or other conditions, are not seen as being inherently deficient or abnormal, but rather as having different ways of thinking, learning, and processing information. Therefore, people’s differences in thinking and learning are natural and should be celebrated! 

Below are assets which are highly valuable in the field of engineering and other STEM fields, where creativity, problem-solving, and innovation are highly valued. 

• Divergent thinking: This refers to the ability to generate creative and original ideas and solutions by exploring multiple perspectives and possibilities. This leads to creative problem-solving.
• Strong visual-spatial skills: This involves the ability to visualize and mentally manipulate objects, shapes, and spaces in one’s mind, as well as the ability to recognize and remember visual patterns and details.
• Systems thinking: This involves the ability to see the big picture and understand how different parts of a system or process are interconnected and affect each other.
• Intuition and insightfulness: This refers to the ability to make connections and come up with new ideas based on gut feelings, hunches, and flashes of insight.
• Pattern recognition: This involves the ability to identify and make sense of recurring patterns and structures in complex information, such as data sets or visual images.
• Attention to detail: individuals with strong attention to detail can spot inconsistencies, errors, and gaps in information that others might miss, which can lead to more thorough and accurate analysis and problem-solving.
• Deep focus: those who are able to hyperfocus on a specific task or problem can often make significant progress and breakthroughs in a shorter amount of time.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the value that neurodiverse individuals can bring to the workplace. Companies and organizations are starting to acknowledge the unique strengths and talents of neurodiverse individuals and are taking steps to provide accommodations and support to help them thrive in their jobs. For example, the Australian Defense Department has partnered with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to develop a neurodiversity program in cybersecurity. This program aims to recruit and train individuals on the autism spectrum to work in cybersecurity, leveraging their unique talents for pattern recognition, attention to detail, and analytical thinking. By creating more inclusive and supportive workplaces, companies and organizations can tap into the full potential of their employees, leading to greater innovation and productivity.

Similarly, MITRE’s Neurodiversity @ Work initiative aims to create a recruiting pipeline for a neurodivergent workforce for themselves and for the federal government. MITRE has already brought 11 neurodivergent interns to work at their company. Neurodiversity is seen as a competitive advantage as research has shown that autistic individuals can see patterns and solve problems up to 40% faster than their neurotypical peers. MITRE recognizes that people on the autism spectrum often possess skills well-suited to careers such as cybersecurity, analysis, and data management. However, they often struggle to find employment due to difficulties in interviews. MITRE is working to train interviewers to look beyond social cues and recognize talent beneath, making a difference in creating a neurodiverse workforce.

To learn more about this topic, you can explore additional resources here: 

• Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage 
• The Value of Thinking Differently: MITRE’s Neurodiversity@Work’s Inclusive Outreach
• Why the Australian Defence Organization Is Recruiting Cyber Analysts on the Autism Spectrum
• Dyslexic entrepreneurs – why they have a competitive edge
• ADHD Benefits in the Workplace
• Reframing neurodiversity in engineering education