Disability Rhetoric

Disability and Science

An examination on rhetoric and science implemented by disabled people, written in a somewhat formal style reminiscent of ACS writing standards for scientific papers, but not strictly conforming to the guidelines. 

Questions:

1. What is the rhetoric of disability in science?
   1. Popular examples:
      1. Stephen Hawking – Physicist, motor neuron disease
      2. Temple Grandin – Animal behaviorist, autistic
      3. Solomon Lefschetz – Mathematician, lost both hands.
      4. John Forbes Nash Jr. – Mathematician, mental illness (Beautiful Mind)
      5. Albert Einstein – Physicist, believed to be autistic
   2. Other examples
      1. Wanda Diaz-Merced
      2. Caroline M. Solomon
2. How has their disability been reflected in their scientific pursuits? (What disciplines do they go for? How does their disability affect how they see their field of interest?)
3. Pop. sci vs.  Academia (science tinged with personal stories vs. strictly factual analysis)

Potential Resources:

1. Disabled Scientists Are Often Excluded From The Lab; Copyright © 2021 NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/27/1000869161/disabled-scientists-are-often-excluded-from-the-lab

2. Science and Disability: Interviews in the General Collection

3. Our Disabilities Have Made Us Better Scientists; By Gabi Serrato Marks, Skylar Bayer on July 10, 2019

4. Celebrating scientists with disabilities – The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/diversity-in-science/scientists-with-disabilities/