Article
other than children or sick / elderly / disabled family members or friends .
Neurodivergence and disabilities
A quarter ( 26 %) of responders identified as neurodivergent . As with LGBTQIA + identification , this proportion was higher for students and early-career researchers , of whom 37 % identified as neurodivergent and 15 % were unsure . For all career levels , a smaller proportion of respondents identified as disabled ( 10 %). All but one of the respondents who identified as disabled were also neurodivergent ; this indicates significant overlap between these cohorts . However , less than half of respondents who identified as neurodivergent also considered themselves to have a disability . Few respondents had special accommodations in place , although many indicated accommodations that would be valuable in a conference setting , such as a quiet room or accessible facilities .
The rates of both neurodivergence and disability were higher among female respondents ( Figure 3 ), particularly those early in their careers . In contrast , neurodivergent diagnoses in the general population , such as ADHD and autism , are more common in men , although research indicates this likely represents underdiagnosis in women ( Martin 2024 ). Recognising these historical biases , the survey did not inquire whether respondents had received an official diagnosis .
Key takeaways
The results of this survey show that the AMOS community is highly diverse , with a large fraction of us identifying as LGBTQIA + and / or neurodivergent , particularly among early-career researchers and students . This emphasizes the importance of ensuring that AMOS events and our workplaces are welcoming and accessible to people from these groups , which will become
BAMOS Dec 2024
increasingly important over the coming decades . In addition to LGBTQIA + and neurodivergence identification , the survey also noted that the AMOS community consists of a diverse mix of different cultures , genders , and levels of experience , highlighting the need for an intersectional approach to future diversity efforts .
This is the first survey of equity and diversity across the AMOS community . While the survey respondents captured approximately 21 % of current AMOS members , the sample is biased toward people earlier in their careers and those engaged in equity and diversity efforts , meaning it is unlikely to represent the full AMOS membership . While survey results for a larger sample of AMOS members would differ , the recent survey accurately reflects that the AMOS community is diverse . Future surveys should be less attached to the conference and equity and diversity activities to provide a more accurate understanding of the full AMOS community . It is also incumbent on the broader AMOS community to more actively participate in such surveys .
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Ben Hague and the AMOS National Council for their contributions to the survey design and promotion , Jeanette Dargaville for providing AMOS membership statistics , and Ben Hague and Oceane Richet for their comments on draft versions of this article .
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Figure 2 : Non-exclusive proportion of respondents with different cultural identities
Figure 3 : Proportion of respondents who identify as neurodivergent and / or disabled , by gender and career stage . Non-binary responses are not included for privacy reasons .