“Nothing about us without us:” new research group focuses on disability and neurodivergence in STEM

KALAMAZOO, Mich.— At Western Michigan University, a new research group in the Mallinson Institute for Science Education is prioritizing inclusion in STEM. Led by post-doctoral researcher Dr. Taormina (Tara) Lepore, the group seeks to uplift the experiences of neurodivergent students in STEM classrooms and advocate for more inclusive practices that support an array of diverse learning experiences. 

“As a neurodivergent person and as a researcher in this field, I would define neurodiversity as a concept that encapsulates the wide variety of human minds, which is to be expected and respected as a part of human diversity,” Lepore says.  

Lepore noted that the term “neurodivergent” originated from disability and autism advocacy, referring to individuals whose cognitive processes differ from the socially expected “norms.”  

While not all neurodivergent people identify as disabled, many do. Neurodivergent identities such as autism, ADHD and anxiety disorders are identified as disabilities by the Americans with Disabilities Act and individuals with these identities are often left out of research conducted on them.  

“One phrase that comes out of disability theory is ‘Nothing about us without us,’” Lepore says. “We want to make sure that we’re not doing the work without actively inviting the voices of people who may not have always been invited to the proverbial table.” 

The group is composed of seven Ph.D. students, one physics department staff member and one post-doctoral researcher, in addition to Lepore and Dr. Charles Henderson, director of MISE.  

Still in its early stages, a primary focus has been writing a National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) grant proposal. The grant seeks to address challenges neurodivergent students may face in the classroom, more specifically in group work settings, as previous research reveals that neurodivergent students have dropped out of STEM subjects at higher rates than other students.  

“It’s not an underlying lack of ability to be successful in STEM subjects,” Henderson says. “The system is sort of saying, you seem different, we’re going to kick you out or make it uncomfortable or impossible to be here.”    

As the proposal is currently envisioned, neurodivergent students will work with STEM faculty in introductory courses to identify and revise the way group work is managed and structured, Henderson says.  

The grant aims to establish instructor-student cohorts, with a special focus on neurodivergent students and potentially instructors, to build supportive small group environments and foster a sense of belonging and inclusion.  

“On a bigger scale, it’s the transformative change,” Lepore says. “How do we help deconstruct these systemic issues, potentially causing some neurodivergent students to leave academia because they feel like they don’t belong.”  

In addition to writing the grant proposal, the group, which meets weekly, provides a safe space for students to discuss their own research, build community and generate ideas centered around disability and neurodivergence in STEM education and research. This supportive environment will continue even after any grant-funded work is complete.  

“I like the science a lot,” Lepore says, whose background is in paleontology as well as STEM education. “But I also like why the science matters, and what we can do with our identity, and as people, to help build equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging.  

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