Work-in-Progress: Neurodivergence and Intersecting Demographics Among Engineering Students

The population of neurodivergent (ND) students in engineering programs is a topic of growing interest and importance in both academia and industry.Neurodivergence encompasses a range of neurological differences, including but not limited to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia.This diverse group of students brings unique perspectives, skills, and challenges to engineering education and the workforce.Understanding and supporting neurodivergent students is crucial for promoting inclusivity and diversity in engineering.This paper summarizes existing literature on the prevalence of neurodivergent students.This is followed by data from a large public institution, exploring the extent to which undergraduate engineering students self-identified as neurodivergent.Among over 1000 students, 18% identified as neurodivergent, 19% as maybe neurodivergent, and 62% as not neurodivergent (and therefore neurotypical).Junior and senior students were given the opportunity to self-identify types of neurodivergence, with ADHD and anxiety found as the most common write-in responses.A number of students identified multiple conditions.A higher percentage of female compared to male students self-identified as ND or maybe ND.Large percentages of students who indicated a gender that was not male or female also self-identified as neurodivergent.Similar percentages of White and Hispanic/Latinx first-year students identified as neurotypical; a higher percentage of Asian students identified as neurotypical.The results indicate that studies on the experiences of neurodivergent students in engineering should consider intersectional demographics.Given the significant percentages of engineering students identifying as ND, faculty should work to ensure these students are supported.* Fisher's exact test p < 0.05 for ND plus maybe ND and NT as compared to White students The spring 2023 post-survey for FY students did not ask students to identify their race/ethnicity.Due to low n, other race/ethnicity category choices from the survey are not shown, including American Indian / Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Multiracial.NR has been used due to a response number below 5 students.