Where Difference Belongs: Vignettes From a Global Neurodivergent Research Community

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Timperley, S., Arhin-Acquaah, M., Chan, M. Y., Edwards, C., Fletcher, A., Koops, I., Li, K. R., Munyengerwi, S., Rowlings, J., & Star, A. (2026). Where Difference Belongs: Vignettes From a Global Neurodivergent Research Community. In Navigating Academia as a Neurodivergent Academic (pp. 141-167). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83662-556-820261010

Publication date: 25 Aug 2026 Added to AutiHub: 26 Aug 2026 Type: Book chapter Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
10
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 10 (10.0%)
  1. Sarah Timperley
  2. Michael Arhin-Acquaah
  3. Mu-Yen Chan
  4. Chris Edwards *
  5. Aimee Fletcher
  1. Inga Koops
  2. Kun-Rong Li
  3. Salome Munyengerwi
  4. Jessica Rowlings
  5. Ari Star

Abstract

Abstract This final chapter shares stories of finding community written by neurodivergent researchers who are early in their research journey or who research outside of a university structure. The following nine vignettes explore perspectives from neurodivergent researchers from around the world. These vignettes are organised through four overarching themes that come through in each story: (1) the positive impacts of neurodiversity-affirming research and neurodivergent researchers, (2) the importance of online spaces for finding and building community, (3) becoming the mentor I needed and (4) finding identity through community and self-discovery. Despite different cultures and experiences of diagnosis, support and acceptance, all authors shared a strong passion for research that works together with the community to shape the future and a desire to make the world better for everyone.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 18:16.

Cited references
14
With a DOI
10
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
4
2 / 14 (14.3%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 14 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
14 / 14 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
4
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
34
From DOI or external metadata
34
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
14 / 34 (41.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 20 / 34 (58.8%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
2 / 34 (5.9%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 2 / 14 (14.3%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 2 / 30 (6.7%).
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