Research about Physicists with Disabilities

In this session three prominent PER investigators shared some of their findings on disabilities in physics. Each facilitator gave a brief presentation on findings related to neurodivergence and identity, disabling barriers experienced by students, and frameworks that shed light on doing physics as a person with one or more disabilities. The presentations was followed by audience discussions and questions.

Note that this PER Interest Group supports an upcoming workshop on Supporting Students with Disabilities.

Facilitators:

• Liam McDermott (University of Connecticut)
• Erin Scanlon (University of Connecticut)
• Jacquelyn Chini (Ohio State University)

Selected References:

• Resources for supporting students with and without disabilities in your physics courses (Amanda Lannan, Jacquelyn J. Chini, and Erin Scanlon)

• Disabling barriers experienced by students with disabilities in postsecondary introductory physics (Westley James, Caroline Bustamante, Kamryn Lamons, Erin Scanlon, and Jacquelyn J. Chini)

• Diverging nonlocal fields: Operationalizing critical disability physics identity with neurodivergent physicists outside academia (Liam G. McDermott, Nazeer A. Mosley, and Geraldine L. Cochran)
• Introducing Neurodiversity to the Physics Education Community (Liam McDermott)