Deconstructing “True-Engineer” Stereotypes: Experiences of a Neurodivergent Female Student’s Sense of Belonging in Engineering

• In Event: Navigating Identity and Political Context in Higher Education Settings

Abstract

This study aims to understand how one female neurodivergent engineering student navigates stereotypes. By exploring Freire’s conscientização framework, which develops a critical awareness of social structures that perpetuate inequalities in engineering education, and the Latina methodology of pláticas, we set out to investigate: What are the experiences and challenges of undergraduate engineering students who self-identify as neurodivergent? We generated data from an ethnographic participant-observation study and an open-ended interview. A female neurodivergent student’s unique experiences highlight how she chose the right place and time to discuss her condition through pláticas, despite the stigma associated. Findings suggest that negotiating a ‘true engineer’ identity coming from a disability family affected her sense of belonging, pushing her to be strategic to prevent rejection.

Authors

• Karla Mariana Escobar, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Sidury Christiansen, University of Texas - San Antonio