Join us for the Faculty of Natural Sciences Neurodiversity Week, a 4-day series of events on w/c 5th May celebrating and exploring neurodiversity and neurodivergence.
Organised within the Faculty of Natural Sciences (FoNS) but open to all staff and students across Imperial, this initiative aims to foster inclusivity, spark discussions, and provide resources for neurodivergent individuals and allies.
Tuesday 6th May | Keynote: Heather Logan - Autism in STEM
16:00 - 17:00, Online
Neurodivergent people are already here: in your courses, labs, research groups, and faculty meetings. Most of us grew up---and many of us remain---unidentified, unaware that the daily barriers we struggle to overcome are not faced by the majority of the population, and those of us who are aware frequently have our needs dismissed or pathologized. In this talk I will reflect on my own experiences as an undiagnosed autistic person in academia and use them to introduce some of the simple adjustments that university faculty and staff can make to improve the environment for their autistic students and colleagues.
Heather Logan is a theoretical particle physicist and Professor at Carleton University on unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinabeg territory in Ottawa, Canada. She has published over 60 journal articles on Higgs physics, collider physics, and physics beyond the Standard Model and served as a theory convener for the Higgs Working Group at the Large Hadron Collider and for a U.S. particle physics long-range planning exercise. After experiencing burnout following a term as Chair of her department, she was formally diagnosed as autistic at the age of 47. Since then, she has begun advocating for neurodiversity and disability rights in academia, and recently released a guide on making research groups more inclusive for autistic people.
Wednesday 7th May | Game on! Board game social session
11:00 – 12:00, In Person, South Kensington
Playing board games isn’t just enjoyable, there is plenty of evidence that it is good for you. Join us for a fun and friendly chance to play tabletop games. We’ll bring along some of our favourites (Cascadia, Jungle Speed, Codenames), but you can bring your own game if you want to. This session is facilitated by Imperial’s Playful Learning Special Interest Group.
Wednesday 7th May | Breaking Bag: Playful Learning
13:00 – 14:00, In Person, South Kensington
Do you like puzzle-solving and logical challenges? ‘Breaking Bag’ is an exciting reverse escape game where your mission is to break into a locked backpack by solving STEM-themed puzzles before time runs out. Players will work in teams of five to combine their skills and talents to decipher clues, unlock padlocks, and ultimately solve the bag. The game is facilitated by Imperial’s Playful Learning Special Interest Group.
Thursday 8th May | Q&A Panel: Thriving within a Neurodiverse Student and Staff Body
11:00 – 12:00, In Person and Online, South Kensington
Join us for an engaging Q&A panel discussion exploring how we can foster an inclusive and supportive environment for neurodiverse students and staff. Our expert panel will share insights, experiences, and strategies for making learning, teaching, and research more accessible. This session is open to all students and staff interested in learning more about neurodiversity and inclusive practices within our community. Bring your questions and join the conversation!
Chair:
- Wayne Mitchell, Associate Provost for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity
Panellists:
- Vijesh Bhute, Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering
- Mery Fajardo, Physics Departmental Disability Officer and Neurodiversity Champion
- Chloe Coxshall, Research Postgraduate student in Department of Life Sciences
- James Coarsey, Vice President of the Neurodiversity Society and student in Department of Chemistry
Thursday 8th May | Neurodiversity Cafe
12:00 – 14:00, In Person, South Kensington
Join us at the Neurodiversity Café to connect, unwind, and foster a sense of belonging over lunch and refreshments. Chat with our panellists after the Q&A, visit stalls from ABLE, EDIC, the Neurodiversity Society, Student Wellbeing Advisors, and more, and explore support resources and community networks. Whether you’re neurodivergent or an ally, this is a space to connect, learn, and celebrate neurodiversity together.
Thursday 8th May | Neurodiversity in Focus: Listening, Learning, and Designing for Success
14:00 – 15:00, In Person, South Kensington
Vijesh Bhute, Senior Teaching Fellow in Chemical Engineering will be presenting findings from their project on ‘Neurodiversity from the lens of neurodivergent university students’ where they took a deep dive into the lived experiences of neurodivergent Chemistry and Chemical Engineering students with a focus on their university life.
Through in-depth interviews, they explored several themes including mental health, lectures, accessibility, exams, and social integration. They will highlight the recommendations made by the students for improving their academic journey and point to effective support tools which they have found helpful.
Finally, they will also share details about an ongoing collaborative work aimed at developing inclusive assessments in partnership with neurodivergent students
Friday 9th May | Neurodiversity Society: Dog Therapy
Time TBC, In Person