Neurodiversity in the chemical sciences
Neurodivergent individuals make up a significant proportion of the chemistry community, each with unique talents and skills. Our new web page – an addition to our Disability Hub – contains information, resources and guidance to support inclusive working practices for neurodivergent chemists.
Enabling neurodivergent chemists to utilise their unique strengths and ways of thinking and working entails embracing the neurodiversity of our community – which is crucial for innovation and progress in the chemical sciences. Unfortunately, many working and teaching practices and environments are designed without consideration of neurodivergent individuals’ needs, which can lead to frustration, exclusion and mental health struggles.
With the launch of this new web page, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of neurodiversity and neurodivergent conditions in the context of chemistry. The pages discuss common strengths and challenges for neurodivergent individuals in the chemical sciences, as well as providing resources and recommendations for both individuals and managers/employers.
The page explains how everyone’s brain works in a unique way, and how having a divergent neurotype can present both advantages and challenges. Employers have a big role to play in creating workplaces where everyone can flourish. A diverse, neuroinclusive workforce leads to greater innovation, benefiting from fresh perspectives and ‘diversity of thought.
Because neurodivergence can be regarded as a disability, neurodivergent individuals should be able to expect reasonable adjustments to be made in everything from the recruitment process to the chemistry lab environment itself. The good news is, offering these adjustments can benefit the entire workplace.
The webpage provides guidance on the sorts of adjustments that should be offered, as well as resources for both employers and neurodivergent individuals. There’s also plenty of data gathered from our community on the experiences of neurodivergent chemists.
Whether you’re an employer, a neurodivergent individual, or an ally, this page is for you.