Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin最新文献

We describe the multi-year journey of a group of researchers co-creating a museum exhibit with the Biosphère an environmental museum of the City of Montréal. The collaboration resulted in an immersive experience where visitors can dive into an aquatic continuum and learn about function, ecology, chemistry, and the roles of the various aquatic ecosystems within a watershed and the broader landscape. Here we share the details of this journey from idea conception, the process and challenges of collaborating with different working teams, and some of the lessons learnt on teamwork, collaborations, and science communication. Challenges included composing with an eclectic group of collaborators with heterogeneous expertise and approaches, effectively communicating and interacting with diverse partners, transposing and adapting scientific concepts and ideas in order to reach a general audience, overcoming language and cultural and disciplinary barriers, among others. These challenges turned into opportunities that allowed our group to develop leadership skills and self-trust, skills to more effectively collaborate and partner in positive and creative ways, and approaches to more successfully communicate our science, and allowed us to contribute positively to society at a time when this is needed more than ever.

The Early Career Committee (ECC) of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) calls for amplified acknowledgment and embrace of neurodiverse individuals in aquatic sciences. We advocate for a transformative shift, urging the broader scientific community to recognize and embrace the unique approaches, abilities, and well-being of each researcher. Despite increased attention to demographic heterogeneity, neurodiversity remains an underexplored aspect of society, particularly in scientific disciplines. The neurodiversity paradigm reframes cognitive differences as assets rather than deficits, emphasizing the strengths, specialized skills, and high-performance potential of neurodivergent individuals in science (Jaarsma and Welin 2011; Lefevre-Levy et al. 2023). This approach aligns with the broader views of cognitive variances as essential components of human diversity, resilience, and social collaboration (Goldberg 2023), akin to the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning and resilience. This paper advocates for systemic reforms to enhance the careers and experiences in aquatic sciences, thereby enriching the discipline by incorporating a wider array of perspectives and talent.

Neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often exhibit unique cognitive strengths beneficial for data-intensive research (Goldberg 2023; Sikimić 2023). Their keen attention to detail enables them to identify subtle patterns and anomalies, which is vital for analyzing complex datasets and detecting gradual changes (Wilson et al. 2023). Additionally, their meticulousness, sustained focus, and creative problem-solving boost reliability and innovative outcomes. In aquatic sciences, where interdisciplinary approaches are crucial, these attributes are highly significant but often overlooked. Estimates suggest that only 5% of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) undergraduates and 0.9% of senior academics in the UK disclose their neurodivergent conditions (Wilson et al. 2023). In contrast, nearly 17% of the US workforce may be neurodivergent (Lefevre-Levy et al. 2023). In geosciences, preliminary calculations indicate that 2–3 of every 150 students may be autistic (Kingsbury et al. 2020). However, comparable data for aquatic sciences is lacking.

Neurodivergent underrepresentation is exacerbated by structural barriers. Traditional metrics of success in academia, such as publication rates, conference networking skills, and grant acquisition, are often shaped by neurotypical norms. Hence, these metrics may not capture the contributions of neurodivergent scientists, at least not without adequate support (Cosentino and Souviron-Priego 2021), such as written/recorded instructions, time flexibility, and an uninterrupted workflow. Stigma and a lack of s