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Navigating Neurodiversity 2022

Curator Reading List Instagram Blog Posts Photos

Curator

Daisy wearing a yellow sweater and glasses, standing in front of some plants.
Hello! I’m Daisy Shearer and I am a Physics PhD student based at the Advanced Technology Institute. The theme of my student curation project is ‘Navigating Neurodiversity’. Since my diagnosis, reading about the experiences of other neurodivergent people from a range of different backgrounds and identities has helped me feel closer to the community and given me more insight into how my own brain works. Through this reading list, I hope that others can learn from the stories of neurodivergent people and better understand those of us with different brains.

Reading Lists

Take a look at the reading list from this project.


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Social Media

Posts on the Library social media sites during this project.

Instagram

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Blog posts

17 Mar 2022

Welcome to Daisy - our new Student Curator for the theme 'Navigating Neurodiversity'

Hello! I’m Daisy Shearer and I am a Physics PhD student based at the Advanced Technology Institute. Before my PhD, I was an MPhys student here at Surrey. In the final year of my degree, I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder…Continue reading

21 Mar 2022

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is generally defined as ‘the diversity of human brains and minds – the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within our species.’ It can be thought of as analogous to biodiversity. The term itself is neutral and is simply a descriptive term. However, the neurodiversity paradigm and the neurodiversity movement… Continue reading

21 Mar 2022

Challenging Stereotypes

What comes to mind when you think of an autistic person? How about someone with ADHD? The chances are you had some thoughts going through your head that reflected the stereotypes around people with these conditions. I was the same. I thought that autistic people were mostly men, and nothing like me. They had trouble making eye contact and were obsessed with things like trains. … Continue reading

23 Mar 2022

Neurodiversity and Mental Health

There are many factors that impact mental wellbeing and being in a minority group can put people at a higher risk of mental illness, and neurodivergent people are no exception. This phenomenon is known as minority stress and can be compounded by multiple intersecting identity characteristics. The… Continue reading

24 Mar 2022

Neurodiversity and Disability

Disability is always a bit of a stigmatised subject, and many people like to use euphemisms instead of the word ‘disability’. However, many disabled people find this quite offensive and infantilizing. When it comes to neurodiversity, it becomes even more complicated… Continue reading

25 Mar 2022

Creating Community: What does neurodiversity mean to you?

I asked neurodivergent people from around the university (both students and staff) what neurodiversity means to them. Here are some of their responses: “To me, neurodiversity is about embracing different brains and working together to solve problems” “In a word; creativity!”… Continue reading

25 Mar 2022

Reflecting on the Student Curator Project: Navigating Neurodiversity by Daisy Shearery

I feel so honoured to have been able to celebrate Neurodiversity Celebration Week by collaborating with the Library to create this display and reading list! Throughout the week, I’ve explored a variety of topics around neurodiversity here on the Library blog— from neurodiversity and mental health… Continue reading

Photos

15 drawings of brains in a 3x5 grid, in various colours An open blue umbrella with the words Neurodivergent conditions on it, underneath green circular shapes with names of conditions: Dyslexia, Tourette syndrome, Autism Spectrum conditions, Dyscalculia, ADHD, DCD/Dyspraxia, and Axquired Neurodiversity. Several open umbrellas of different colours Abstract coloured lines, with white outline of a head and white scribble for a brain digital drawing of 7 sunflowers of varying heights
Cork pnboard with a number of post-it notes pinned on, and the title What does neurodiversity mean to you? on a stylised post-it note in the middle Yound woman with glasses and long brown hair standing next to a table with a blue tablecloth with University of Surrey logo in white at the front, a number of books on the table, and behind a large glass board with posters and post it notes, and a television screen with illegible text. Text What does neurodiverity mean to you on a stylised post it note, and the words Feel free to add your thoughts and regflections to this board! on a ble backgound, both over a background of a cork notice board with a number of post-it notes pinned on. Underneath some coloured text boxes with illegibly small writing a collage of 6 pictures of the curator's corner table, with blue tablecloth with white University of Surrey logo on, a number of books, and close ups of the glass board with posters and post it notes, and a post it note on a stand with handwritten text 'Feel free to add a post-it to our board! What does neurodiversity mean to you? on it.

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