"Being diagnosed with autism is often seen as a tragedy. But for Jac den Houting, it was the best thing that's ever happened to them. As an autistic person, concepts like the Neurodiversity paradigm, the Social Model of Disability, and the Double Empathy Problem were life-changing for Jac. In this talk, Jac combines these ideas with their own personal story to explain why we need to rethink the way that we understand autism. Jac den Houting is a research psychologist and Autistic activist in pursuit of social justice. Jac currently holds the role of Postdoctoral Research Associate at Macquarie University in Sydney, working alongside Professor Liz Pellicano... Jac was identified as Autistic at the age of 25, and is proudly neurodivergent and queer.
"Stephen is a Senior Directing major at Carnegie Mellon. He is also the current President of Carnegie Mellon's Film Club. He recently completed his Thesis Project within the School of Drama: a production of Mac Wellman's 'A Murder of Crows.' He is currently working on creating a collective of Film Enthusiasts across Carnegie's Campus as well as other colleges and universities around Pittsburgh. You can find out more about Stephen and his talk on his website: www.stephentonti.com or follow his blog 'Caffeine, Nicotine, and ADHD: a guide to maintaining sanity.'"
Thom has Tourette's Syndrome and says 'biscuit' sixteen times a minute. A visual artist and a graduate of the Royal College of Art, she founded Touretteshero to celebrate the humour that can emerge from Tourette's, challenge misconceptions about the syndrome and encourage people to familiarise themselves with the creative opportunities it presents."
"In this inspiring talk, advocate and educator Dean Bragonier offers a different take on Dyslexia. By looking at the unique mindset of Dyslexics as a strength, Dean reframes a perceived weakness as a powerful tool and teaches us all an important lesson about the power of an open mind and an open heart. Dean Bragonier is a social entrepreneur in the EdTech space. Shaped by the challenges associated with his dyslexia, Dean became an advocate for learning and disability equality and has founded, managed and served on the boards of organizations working to create systemic change in this field. As the Founder and Executive Dyslexic of NoticeAbility Inc., Dean leads a collaborative team from Harvard University, Tufts University and the Carroll School that is building curricula designed to offer authentic inquiry experiences in vocational subjects that cater to the neurological strengths of the dyslexic mind."
"What do you think about, when you hear the word, 'autism'? No diagnostic manual can truly explain the multifaceted experience of autism. It’s a neurological difference with a vast spectrum of representation within its population. It can come with remarkable gifts and skills as well as devastating traits. Autism does not necessarily equal disability and thankfully today, we have a word, that challenges this negative terminology. Neurodiversity. In her talk, Elisabeth communicates how it is to be autistic yet lead an independent and successful everyday life. Born and raised in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere in Sweden, Elisabeth Wiklander moved to Amsterdam to study and work before she acquired a highly competitive position at the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She is no stranger to trying new things and reaching for her dreams. Besides being passionate about nature, rock climbing and playing cello, Elisabeth is autistic and was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when she was 28 years old. Until then, she had no explanations for her sometimes different thoughts and behaviour."