Welcome Session

Presenters:

• Eric Trekell, NNL Program Operations Specialist
• Scott Bellman, NNL Project Principal Investigator
• Overtoun Jenda, TAPDINTO-STEM Principal Investigator

INSIST 2024 began with an introduction of students and welcome messages from facilitators, who provided attendees with logistical details such as access to interpreters, real-time captions, a resource table, and charging stations for laptops and phones. 

Eric Trekell, an NNL Program Operations Specialist and conference organizer, introduced the University of Washington’s Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) Center, a unique grant-funded program that supports college and university students with disabilities. DO-IT is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities through technology and education. It promotes awareness and accessibility to maximize the potential of individuals with disabilities and make communities more vibrant, diverse, and inclusive. He explained, “Our work with students in STEM programs is designed to encourage students, because the representation of people with disabilities in STEM employment is not proportional to our numbers in the population.” Eric acknowledged the event's sponsors, NNL and TAPDINTO-STEM, and highlighted goals of INSIST 2024, which were to provide meaningful learning opportunities, elevate the voices of neurodivergent STEM students, and build skills for advocacy and leadership.

Scott Bellman, Principal Investigator for the Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners program, shared a video message. He emphasized the importance of amplifying neurodivergent students' voices, saying, “We want to amplify the voices of students everywhere. We’re so happy that you are here with us now. We invite you to share yourself with us, share your ideas, share your thoughts.” Scott encouraged students to take advantage of the resources and learning opportunities presented by the mentors and speakers at the event. 

Dr. Overtoun Jenda, a professor at Auburn University and Principal Investigator for the TAPDINTO-STEM Alliance, followed with a passionate call to action. He stressed the need for students to build strong communities to support one another during their academic journeys and beyond. He explained, “What we want is to have you graduate and end up in the STEM workforce.” Dr. Jenda urged the attendees to think long-term about their impact, advising them to continue advocating for people with disabilities in STEM fields throughout their lifetime.