Introduction to the Series

​​This six-part, neurodivergent-led hybrid speaker series coordinated by Dr. Heather Brown from the AIDAN autism research lab at the University of Alberta, with Dr. Nikki Scheerer (Laurier), Dr. Michelle Searle (Queen’s) and Tara Connolly (Carleton) that aims to celebrate neurodiversity and challenge stereotypes by featuring successful neurodivergent (ND) role models who will share their personal and professional experiences. With funding from the Kule Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS) and institutional grants, this cross-disciplinary team reaches a wide audience, bridging gaps in perspectives on neurodiversity and fostering more nuanced and impactful research collaborations. We invite ND and neurotypical (NT) people to witness, celebrate, and learn from the success of others to normalize neurodiversity, reduce stigma, and combat discrimination. 

Our Speaker

Nicholas Bennett is a decorated Canadian Paralympic swimmer who made history at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Bennett claimed gold in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, marking Team Canada’s first gold medal of the Games. As an autistic athlete, Bennett is an inspiring figure, demonstrating excellence in swimming while breaking barriers and highlighting the capabilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities on the world stage. He is coached by his sister, Haley Osborne.

This neurodivergent-led speaker series 2024-2025 is designed to challenge stereotypes by featuring successful neurodivergent (ND) role models who will share their personal and professional experiences. Aims of the Speaker Series:

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1. Education

• Reframe our understanding of neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) through the lens of neurodiversity.

• Build empathy for the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.

• Highlight the importance of creating ND-friendly spaces, focusing on psychological safety and sensory safety.

2. Community Building

• Promote and foster a sense of community among in-person attendees.

• We hope your participation will lead to expanded networks, including new friendships, connections, or opportunities for those attending in person.

Jeff Warren is a Canadian meditation instructor and writer, known for his dynamic and accessible style of teaching. He is the co-author of The New York Times best-selling Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, founder of the nonprofit Consciousness Explorers Club, and co-host of the Mind Bod Adventure Pod. Jeff's Do Nothing Project streams for free every Sunday night on YouTube; his guided meditations reach millions of people through the Ten Percent Happier and Calm apps, as well as through his Substack, Home Base.

Jeff’s mission is to empower people to care for their mental health, through the realistic, intelligent and sometimes irreverent exploration of meditation and personal growth practices. As someone with both ADHD and bipolar, he is big on destigmatizing mental health issues, and champions a neurodiverse outlook on life and practice.

This neurodivergent-led speaker series 2024-2025 is designed to challenge stereotypes by featuring successful neurodivergent (ND) role models who will share their personal and professional experiences. Aims of the Speaker Series:

Register

1. Education -

• Reframe our understanding of neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) through the lens of neurodiversity.
• Build empathy for the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.
• Highlight the importance of creating ND-friendly spaces, focusing on psychological safety and sensory safety.

2. Community Building

• Promote and foster a sense of community among in-person attendees.
• We hope your participation will lead to expanded networks, including new friendships, connections, or opportunities for those attending in person.

"Inclusion" is a ubiquitous term in education. The term proliferates policies, documents, professional development, curricula, and media. Yet, despite its wide use, there is no one definition for inclusion. Subsequently, there is often a mismatch between intention and understanding. Added to this, “(q)uestions about how we should include appear to be displaced by questions about why we should include and under what conditions” (Allan, 2007, p.4). This means that we have been very strong in convincing people that inclusion is important in education, but not in showing them how to include in educational spaces. In my work, and what I will discuss in this talk, I look at the complexities of inclusive practice in K-16 education environments as it intersects with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education practice. If inclusion is complex, it is a wicked problem embedded in STEM learning environments where other variables like STEM identity, exclusionary culture, ability judgments, intersectional identities and achievement all come (clash?) together. In this talk, I will first explore inclusion, and discuss the affordances of moving from a conception of inclusion to a conception of belonging. I will then take you through the K-16 STEM ecosystem discussing considerations for inclusion and belonging using highlights from my research.

Presentation by Dr. Robyn Ruttenberg-Rozen, PhD (she/her), Assistant Professor, STEAM Education, Mitch & Leslie Frazer Faculty of Education, Ontario Tech University 

Event Details: 

February 27, 2025
1 - 2:30 pm 
Education Library, Duncan McArhur Hall or online

Questions: 

steam@queensu.ca

Join fellow international students, faculty, and graduate office staff members for good food and conversations. 

Join us for our Accelerated Research event - it will feature stories about research in less time than it takes to make a burrito! Dr. Ben Bolden, Dr. Thashika Pillay, PhD Student Lydia Scholle-Cotton and PhD Student Alan Jeans will all try to walk you through their research within a four minute time frame! 

The Faculty of Education is very excited to welcome Dr. Grant Bruno as this year's McClement Community Lecturer. This event is free and everyone is welcome. 

The MacClement Lectureship was established in 1985 by friends and family in memory of William T. MacClement to support an annual lecture series. We are grateful for the continued generosity of all friends of the Faculty.

Topic

Dr. Bruno, a parent and member of Samson Cree Nation, will share his lived experience and insights on the often-overlooked presence of Indigenous peoples in conversations around neurodiversity. Drawing from his cultural background, community knowledge, and personal journey, he will explore ways to better support Indigenous families raising autistic children by incorporating Indigenous worldviews, traditional knowledge, and relational ways of being into practice.

Recognizing that many Indigenous families must navigate both Western systems and their own cultural traditions, Dr. Bruno will offer practical guidance on integrating wholistic Indigenous models with existing services, programs, and supports. His discussion will provide actionable strategies for service providers, educators, and caregivers seeking to build more inclusive, culturally responsive, and healing-centered approaches for Indigenous autistic children and their families.

About Dr. Bruno

Dr. Bruno is nêhiyaw (Plains Cree), a registered member of Samson Cree Nation, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. With a background rooted in nêhiyaw understandings of health, Dr. Bruno’s work focuses on creating culturally responsive healthcare models that support Indigenous children and youth, particularly in the areas of neurodiversity and child and youth health. As a proud First Nations scholar, Dr. Bruno’s research weaves nêhiyaw knowledge systems and Western frameworks to create inclusive, decolonized approaches to healthcare. Dr. Bruno is currently the Academic Lead Indigenous Child Health for the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI) and is the founder of the Ispimihk Awâsisak (Sky Children Program) and the Indigenous Caregiving Collective.

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Important additional information about the event

Doors open at 4:45pm

We invite you to bring your children! We aim to make this event as accessible to all who wish to attend. We will have quiet activities and volunteers to assist children at the back of the auditorium. For planning purposes, we ask that you kindly register so we can ensure we have enough materials and support. 

In order to keep questions focused and appropriate, we invite you to suggest questions you may have for Dr. Bruno in the registration form. If you think of a question after registering, you are welcome to email it to us: educcomm@queensu.ca

If you have any questions, concerns, accessibility requests or to cancel your registration, please contact: educcomm@queensu.ca

Please note that photography will take place at this event for promotional and archival purposes. Notice of Photography (PDF 103 KB)