Track 4 Phase I: The Autism Self-advocacy Center for Equity and Neurodiversity in Engineering (The A-SCENE) at Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Neurodiversity is an emerging paradigm through which neurological differences, traditionally viewed only in terms of disability -- autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia -- are instead viewed as human variations having associated impairments but also unique strengths highly relevant to STEM. Yet this group, now representing at least 20% of the US population, is vastly underrepresented in the STEM workforce: recent work suggests that only 11% of STEM undergraduates are neurodiverse, and a 2021 NSF report suggests that only 4.4% of all STEM PhD recipients are neurodiverse. Growing research evidence suggests enhanced abilities and skills in neurodiverse learners highly relevant to the engineering workforce. Examples include enhanced divergent thinking in ADHD, success in competitive colleges for autistic students, and enhanced cognitive and socio-emotional resilience, visuo-spatial ability, and emotional reactivity with corresponding neural differences in dyslexia. The National Science Foundation Broadening Participation in Engineering Phase I award to Vanderbilt University will address the opportunity to more fully include this underutilized workforce by creating the capacity for a future Phase II Center for Equity in Engineering called The Autism Self-advocacy Center for Equity and Neurodiversity in Engineering (The A-SCENE). To be fully ready for Phase II, we need to more fully develop a number of elements through this Phase I grant, specifically: (a) develop an emerging understanding of the strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results across the undergraduate experience, graduate experience, and workforce development; document and systematically refine this analysis; engage the project Advisory Board and other key stakeholders for feedback and buy-in; and create a collaborative roadmap for implementation of any and all changes needed, including identification of responsible individuals for each change to be implemented for Phase II operation. The proposed vision of A-SCENE is to create a comprehensive and fully interconnected system of programs and supports -- representing a whole Vanderbilt School of Engineering effort in partnership with Fisk University -- to ensure that neurodiverse students can access and succeed in engineering majors and careers, from the undergraduate experience to graduate training and professional development to meaningful engagement in the STEM workforce. The A-SCENE will be a timely, innovative, sustainable, and replicable model that engages neurodiverse students across engineering in educational and research experiences while building a community that celebrates differences, supports needs, develops engineering identity, empowers self-advocacy, opens doors to employment, and inspires nationally a broader paradigm of neuro-inclusive engineering. The A-SCENE builds on unique strengths at both Vanderbilt and Fisk, including the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation, the Fisk-Vanderbilt 3+2 program in engineering, and the College Autism Network. The A-SCENE will reach a large community of neurodiverse individuals, both directly at Vanderbilt and Fisk, as well as broadly through dissemination of the A-SCENE model. For example, at Vanderbilt and Fisk alone, engineering includes ~275 neurodiverse students, with another ~70 entering engineering each year. These numbers reflect the current underrepresentation; a fundamental goal is to identify barriers and implement interventions to significantly broaden participation of this group. In addition to Fisk University, we will identify at least one but preferably up to three additional core university partners for Phase II, which will further amplify impact. Finally, engineering undergraduate and graduate students nationwide now number in excess of 700,000, of whom ~77,000 are expected to be neurodiverse. Finally, dissemination of the A-SCENE Engineering Neurodiversity Playbook and our Autism Career Empowerment professional certification program through ABET, NSF INCLUDES, and other national networks will broaden the impact further still. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.