Unlocking the potential of neurodiversity in communities at McKelvey

McKelvey School of Engineering embraces neurodiversity because neurodiversity strengthens our school and engineering in general. To celebrate Autism Awareness Month, we invited Stanford University’s Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD, to speak about ways to leverage the power of neurodiversity. Dr. Fung is a prominent thought leader in the science of neurodiversity and is director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project.

In his talk, Dr. Fung offers a compelling case for why understanding and supporting neurodivergent individuals — those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more — are essential in higher education and especially critical in fields such as engineering. He introduces a strength-based model of neurodiversity and provides practical strategies to create more inclusive environments where all minds can thrive.

Highlights include:

• Why engineering schools are natural homes for neurodiverse thinkers
• How reframing “deficits” as “strengths” fosters innovation
• The dangers of camouflaging and the importance of belonging
• How faculty and staff can be better allies to neurodivergent students
• Real-world success stories, from Einstein to Greta Thunberg