UConn CEE is pushing the frontiers of education by reframing neurodiversity to enhance the creativity of the engineering workforce. The topic of changing our mindsets towards neurodiversity in education is explored in this recent conceptual analysis article by Marisa Chrysochoou, Arash Zaghi, and Connie Syharat:

"In summary, we argue that the perception of neurodiversity as a deficit, along with the overreliance on traditional pedagogical methods in engineering courses, is severely limiting both the participation of neurodiverse students in engineering fields and the creativity of the national engineering workforce. It also places an undue psychological and financial burden on families that require additional resources to support neurodiverse student success, creating an often hidden but substantial equity issue.

To enhance the creative potential of the next generation of engineers, a paradigm shift in engineering education is sorely needed. We believe that a shift from a deficit perspective to a strengths-based model has the potential to empower students to leverage their individual strengths, while also reducing the suffering of neurominority students who have been marginalized by an education system designed to meet the needs of the neurotypical majority."

Read the full article here.