Excellence Empowered by a Diverse Academic Workforce: Chemists, Chemical Engineers and Materials Scientists with Disabilities

克里斯汀鲍曼-詹姆斯和大卫R.堪萨斯大学的本森和托马斯E.在美国国家科学基金会化学部（CHE）、材料研究部（DMR）、化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统部（CBET）和美国国立卫生研究院的支持下，宾夕法尼亚州立大学的Mallouk教授组织了一次关于“多样化学术工作者赋予卓越能力：残疾化学家、化学工程师和材料科学家”的研讨会。“讲习班将审议：（1）学术机构在《美国残疾人法》和其他联邦法规下的法律的义务，（2）为科学和工程部门增加价值的残疾人的特征，（3）对残疾学生和教师的指导的重要性，（4）残疾教育和辅助技术研究的最新进展，以及（5）提供资助机会，扩大代表性不足的群体（包括残疾人）参与科学的机会。 残疾可能是明显的（例如，移动性、视觉和通常的听力障碍）或不明显和未公开的（例如，学习/认知和心理健康障碍）。 学术部门的残疾教师人数仍然很少，使得化学、材料科学和工程学科的关键人才库利用不足。 该讲习班的目的是协助部门主席和决策者制定认识到残疾人并对残疾人敏感的观点。

Kristin Bowman-James and David R. Benson of the University of Kansas and Thomas E. Mallouk of Pennsylvania State University are supported by the NSF Divisions of Chemistry (CHE), Materials Research (DMR), and Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET) and the National Institutes of Health to organize a workshop on "Excellence Empowered by a Diverse Academic Workforce: Chemists, Chemical Engineers and Materials Scientists with Disabilities." The workshop will consider: (1) the legal obligations of academic institutions under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal regulations, (2) characteristics of people with disabilities that add value to science and engineering departments, (3) the importance of mentorship for students and faculty with disabilities, (4) recent advances in research on disabilities education and assistive technologies, and (5) funding opportunities on broadening participation from underrepresented groups in science, including those with disabilities. Disabilities can be apparent (e.g., mobility, visual and often, hearing impairments) or unapparent and undisclosed (e.g., learning/cognitive and mental health disorders). Academic departments continue to have low numbers of faculty with disabilities making the underutilization of the available talent pool of critical interest to the chemical, materials science and engineering disciplines. The aim of this workshop is to assist Departmental Chairs and policymakers in developing perspectives that recognize and are sensitive to people with disabilities.