Supporting Accessibility in Neuroscience

[Sam Staples]

In recent years, the neuroscience community has become more diverse. In her article, "My Experience as a Deaf Person in Science," Melody Schwenk recounts her experience studying neuroscience as a student who is deaf. What are some ways the neuroscience community can be more accessible, whether that is within the deaf community or otherwise? 
 

[valeria muoio]

I think leaders in the brain science community should lead efforts to include everyone. We need embrace all kinds of people  because brain science does best when it has lots of different minds working on challenges together! People with different physical or mental traits, whether that features make things hard for them  or help them , are really important for making the science world more interesting. I see this not only in this scientist's story 9which is amazing and inspiring), but in my own family too. My sister is an amazing doctor, despite having one-sided deafness, which she got as an adult. It was tough for her to deal with this new way of hearing, and it changed how she sees the world. But she had to adapt, and it also brought out new talents in her, making her better at her job. As a doctor, she got better at feeling things, seeing things, analizing patient's anatomy, all very important skills for her work. So, even though she was great before she lost her hearing, now she's even better. I admire her for inspiring her students and other doctors. And as an impaired hearing  surgeon, she got really interested in brain science and I tease her that she is an honorary neuroscientist. I believe that  it's our job to help people  to adapt, embrace and live tho the fullest.

[Hugo Sanchez-Castillo]

Hello my dear neuroscientists... I was once in the Gallaudet University a few years ago. I decided to visit it thanks to one of my favorite book from Oliver Sacks (seeing voices). In this book we are introduced, not only in neurobiological mechanisms in the brain of deaf people but in the struggle of the deaf persons in searching of their own spaces and representation. In my mind one university like that it should be silent, without the noise and the sounds of students voices and lessons, etc. Let me share that I was SO WRONG. The university is full of live with sounds and movements. The knowledge flows with the hands and arms and I was there, trying of figure out how that was possible. In this point I would  like to add that the American Sign Language (ASL) is a language!!, is not French is not Spanish or English. It has rules, gramar and intonation (the processing of the ASL is in the same regions that the oral language, left hemisphere). However in a world of hearing people sometimes it hard to be deaf. Only a few universities around the world offers higher education for the deaf people. That means that the path of the deaf persons is hard, full of challenges and mountains to climb. But when we read stories like Melody`s I feel good, because the science it should be a right for everybody how wanted to be in. The science is inclusive doesn't matter the condition or gender or whatever. However for someones is harder than others. I shared the article with my students here in Mexico and they were so amazed for the conditions and challenges for the deaf persons. Sadly in Mexico we don't have an institution (like Gallaudet)  for higher education of the deaf persons. But I hope that this kind of stories change the mind of the new generations.

Best