Every Mind Matters: Neurodiversity & Disability Equality Talks

The University of Glasgow Every Mind Matters project is excited to host talks on neurodiversity and disability equality from internal staff, and UK and international speakers.

Details of each talk are provided below. All talks will be recorded and sent to the attendees at a later date. All talks are 1 hour in length.

David Simmons: Sensory processing in autism within HE settings; 12/11/21 @ 13:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 10/11/21

To begin our series of talks, we have invited Dr David Simmons to present his work on perception and sensory processing in autism and how this can be affected within Higher Educational settings. This talk will not only apply to student settings, but also will relate to staff work settings too.

David has spent most of his academic career researching visual perception. However, in recent years his research interests have broadened to include visual aesthetics, visual appearance, synaesthesia and, his current main focus, perception in autism. This latter interest has resulted in work on the Scottish Government's "Scottish Strategy for Autism". He is also a member of the editorial board of "The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders” and a director of Creatovators CIC. David is passionate about increasing awareness of sensory stressors in leisure, work and educational environments and is working with his large team of PhD students on a range of projects related to this theme. See https://simmonslab.psy.gla.ac.uk/ for more details.

Jonathan Vincent/PRO-autism: Building positive relationships between autistic and non-autistic colleagues, supervisors, and peers; 18/11/21 @ 13:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 16/11/21

The talk delivered by Jonathan from PRO-autism will explain some of the core strengths and challenges related to autism but will focus primarily on the potential that exists in building positive relationships between autistic and non-autistic colleagues, supervisors, and peers within higher education.

Dr Jonathan Vincent has a wide range of experience within schools, higher education, and as a job coach with autistic people. His research focuses on postgraduate transitions from higher education for autistic adults and avenues to employment. Jonathan is Senior Lecturer at York St John University but also leads PRO-autism, which is a voluntary group of autistic and non-autistic members dedicated to engaging with industry and the wider public to understand how they can best identify and recruit autistic talent in the UK today.

Jay Dolmage: Accessible Research laboratories; 22/11/21 @ 15:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 20/11/21

In this talk, Jay will collaborate to address the ableist attitudes and practices that are built into higher education, with a focus on research laboratories. He will also interrogate the minimal and temporary means we have been given to address inequities, and the cost such an approach has for disabled students, staff, and faculty. Lastly, we will explore alternative tools and approaches that might allow for a much more accessible future.

Jay is a Professor in English and is committed to disability rights in his scholarship, service, and teaching. His work at the University of Waterloo (Canada) brings together rhetoric, writing, disability studies, and critical pedagogy.

Vivienne Isebor: ADHD, race and non-binary intersectionality; 23/11/21 @ 18:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 21/11/21

Vivienne will provide a talk on ADHD, race and non-binary intersectionality in Higher Education. She will describe how ADHD in women and non-binary people can be presented in different ways and how someone’s race has a role to play in misdiagnosis of ADHD, but most importantly, the intersectionality of the three and that there is not one way to define ADHD. Consequently, how ADHD intersectionality can go unnoticed in academia.

Vivienne is the Founder/Managing Director of ADHD Babes which is a community and supportive space for black women and non-binary people with ADHD to improve wellbeing and promote good mental health. However, she has many talents including also being a Clinical Associate in Psychology Trainee at East London NHS Foundation Trust; a singer/songwriter, performing artist, spoken word artist and poet; a creative & educational workshop facilitator for young people and adults; and the founder and director of love&music.

Leon Franzen: Neurodiversity, accessibility, and dyslexia in higher education; 24/11/21 @ 11:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 22/11/21

In this talk, Leon Franzen – a previous PhD student in neuroscience of the University of Glasgow – will provide you with insights into the dyslexic brain, how to create dyslexic-friendly documents, and overall, how to enhance neurodiversity and accessibility within higher education.

As part of his PhD, Leon investigated how different type fonts affect reading of individuals with dyslexia and if non-reading based deficits exist in the adult dyslexic brain. Since then, Leon has worked at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) and the University of Lübeck as a postdoctoral research fellow examining how to increase the well-being and everyday decision making of people with dyslexia and schizoaffective disorders.

Kate Sang & DISC: Implementing reasonable adjustments within HE for disabled people; 26/11/21 @ 13:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 24/11/21

In this talk, Professor Kate Sang, Professor of Gender and Employment Studies at Heriot-Watt University, and the DISC team (Dr James Richards & Abraham Babajide) will be discussing the importance of implementing reasonable adjustments within Higher Education for disabled people and understanding disability inclusion from a managerial perspective.

Disability Inclusive Science Careers (DISC) is a project that aims to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of postdoctoral disabled scientists through an online training portal designed to support employers in disability. Training includes immersive virtual reality games for line managers and research leaders, giving an insight into the lived experiences of disabled employees. The DISC project is in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, University and Colleges Union Scotland and the National Association of Disabled Staff.

Elliott Spaeth & Leigh Abbott: inclusive practices for both ND students and staff; 29/11/21 @ 13:00

REGISTRATION CLOSES 27/11/21

The last talk of the event will be held by Elliott Spaeth and Leigh Abbott. This will be an informal talk on how to work with neurodivergent students and staff, with the focus being on inclusive practices, accessibility, and celebrating diversity at the University.

Elliott is a neurodivergent, disabled, trans man. He is a lecturer in Academic and Digital Development, and his main role is teaching lecturers how to teach in an inclusive way. However, his expertise goes far beyond that; he has provided talks on neurodiversity and disability internally and externally, he advocates for disabled and neurodivergent staff and student rights on UofG boards, and he co-created the Neurodiversity Network. You can find him on Twitter at @ElliottSpaeth.

Leigh self-identifies as neurodivergent (forever on the waiting list to be diagnosed!) and leads the Wellcome Trust ISSF Promoting and Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace project. This project focuses on the promotion of neurodiversity and exploring methods of support for neurodivergent staff and PGR students.

Disclaimer

This is event is for the University of Glasgow & Glasgow CRUK staff and students only. If you are external to this criteria, you will not be able to attend these talks.

Please note that by registering to attend this event via Eventbrite you are providing consent for your personal data to be held by Eventbrite and that this data may be held on international servers. Your data will be used for the purposes of event administration only.

The Every Mind Matters project was funded by the Chancellors Fund to Leigh Abbott, Kirsteen Allison and Lydia Bach.

Leigh Abbott is the organiser of this event, therefore any reasonable adjustments you require, or questions or queries, please email her and NOT the other speakers. Leigh will answer all enquiries.

Her email address is: leigh.abbott@glasgow.ac.uk