How University of Melbourne researchers are changing the way people work and study on campus

“People are making changes in the way they do things, the way they give presentations, the way they run meetings and the way they organize their workspaces,” Riordan said.

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It is estimated that up to 20 percent of the population is neurodivergent. This umbrella term includes conditions such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The researchers received funding from a 2022 study that examined barriers faced by neurodivergent staff and students in the Faculty of Education.

More than half of respondents never disclosed their condition. The main reasons for not disclosing information were fear of being judged or stereotyped, and fear that their career opportunities might be negatively impacted.

“Because we are all neurodivergent, we felt an ethical obligation to actually do something and not just publish research,” Harrison said.

Most strikingly, the 2022 findings showed that university environments, including open-plan offices, glass-walled meeting rooms, a lack of quiet spaces and set temperature and light levels within buildings, make it difficult for neurodivergent staff and students to work and study. at its best.

“They fought in silence, at great cost to their work,” Riordan said. “They were afraid they wouldn’t be believed.”

Timperley said interest in the results was immediate. The trio has given more than 40 presentations on their research, including at the University of Michigan, Stanford University, UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz.

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