5B - Effectively Supporting Neurodivergent Astronomy Students

Abstract: This workshop will take an interactive approach to providing and discussing the tools around mentoring and teaching neurodivergent students, focusing on the University level. The session will be run as a virtual workshop via a Zoom room with a combination of assistive tools designed to create an interactive environment; for example, we will utilize Jamboards for notes and Mentimeter for word clouds and quizzes. Using Mentimeter for some of the interaction is vital as it allows for anonymous question-asking and quizzing of the attendees, providing them a safe space for learning. This workshop has three key goals: 1. To help educators understand the supports and accommodations that their neurodivergent students may need to thrive; 2. To provide educators with tools to implement these supports, and 3. To help educators learn the nuances of mentoring neurodivergent students one-on-one to allow them to thrive. The lead presenter of this workshop is a neurodivergent and a doctoral candidate in astrophysics, and co-presenters at different career levels will be available to help support breakout rooms and provide their own lived experience through a brief question-and-answer panel session.