From Steven Hawking to Charles Darwin, neurodiversity and science have been intertwined throughout history. Neurodiversity is a term which refers to the variety in the cognition of the human brain and can include people who are on the autism spectrum, or who have diagnosed dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, among others. 

We wanted to talk on a very human level about the strengths and weaknesses of being neurodivergent in science and to also share with you some personal stories and assistive resources. Thom shares his own journey in the field, alongside many other pioneering colleagues. Living legend, Bob Ballard speaks with us about his perspective on being dyslexic and even attributes his career success (including the discovery of the titanic) to his gift. 

Friends of the show, Tom Tangye, Sarah McLellan and Cat Morgan also share their experiences of working in the field alongside being neurodivergent. They share how the industry, and the world in general, is changing to be more inclusive and understanding of everyone who thinks differently.

We had such a great time making this episode, and we’re so grateful to everyone who spoke with us. Below you’ll find a whole host of resources that have been shared with us, and that we recommend ourselves! 

Let’s carry on this conversation, with colleagues, friends, and with those outside our inner circles. Be patient with each other, and trust that the world is changing, for the better.

We are so excited about creating this space to talk more about the human aspects of deep-sea science, and would love to hear from you about your deep-sea journey!