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"I'm a Scientist with Learning Disabilities and That’s Okay!"

Categories: Learning Disabilities

Collin Diedrich post doc Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields play a prominent role in shaping the future, developing the medical breakthroughs and advances in technology around us today that, a mere decade ago, existed only in science fiction. The problems tackled in STEM are often incredibly challenging, but are equally important, which is why it's crucial that we provide students the necessary tools and support to launch STEM careers. Those of us at Learning Ally take pride in the fact that we offer the world's largest audio textbook library, including a wide collection of STEM titles, and in doing so help level the playing field for students with learning differences. We've had the pleasure of highlighting several scientists with disabilities who have succeeded in their fields, such as satellite engineer Kettner Griswold, who has dyslexia, and computer scientist Sina Bahram, who is blind. Another scientist who has succeeded with a learning difference is post doc biologist Collin Diedrich, who has a learning disorder that affects his language processing and reading abilities. In an article on the Public Library of Science (PLoS) blog, Diedrich shares his experiences living with a learning disability and explains how it has affected him as a scientist. Excerpted below, Diedrich says: "On the surface, I don’t make the 'that guy’s really intelligent' cut in pretty much every aspect of my life. I have a hard time learning names, reading menus, following directions when driving, I get lost in conversations that are happening too quickly, and almost always give up on long online articles that require you to push that dreaded ‘go to next page’ button (silly New York Times). Anything related to words–consuming, understanding, or disseminating them to new people–is incredibly difficult for me.

This makes me ask, 'Is it possible for me to be successful in a field that essentially uses 'intelligence' as a prerequisite?' Without a doubt!

"I hope schools will become more cognizant of identifying and helping students with LDs. I hope research program admission committees can look beyond test scores and GPAs when accepting new students (I was rejected from 7 out of 8 I applied for). I hope students are able to be open about their LDs with their PI’s, working together to find the most efficient and helpful ways to have meetings, write papers, perform experiments, and present results. I hope that no LD scientist or engineer feels like they’re alone. Most of all, I hope struggling LD students and adults are able to feel good about who they are. "Environments like this have helped me accept the fact that it doesn’t matter that I may be below the curve in a few intellectual areas. Intelligence, like pretty much everything else subjective, is on a spectrum and just because you may be lower than average in one or every single area, it doesn’t have anything to do with how good you will be at your job, whether that’s as a scientist, clinician, or business woman. Whether you have a LD, work with someone who does, or have no idea if anyone around has one or not, I implore you to keep an open mind about individuals with learning disabilities." Click here to read Diedrich's PLoS article in its entirety