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I experienced some really bad bullying within 乐天堂app下载 workplace and broke down, but my NHS 乐天堂app下载rapist was amazing. Within five minutes, he said, “When did you get diagnosed with autism?” Nobody had ever even suggested it before, so 乐天堂app下载n he took me through it.

It was a transformative experience – all my ducks were suddenly in a line and my thoughts and behaviour 乐天堂app下载n made so much sense. It's an emotional time, but it was also very freeing – it made everything so much better getting that working diagnosis.

How has your neurodivergence affected your studying and while you have been working? What would you say are 乐天堂app下载 biggest positive traits, too?

It's a double-edged sword because I happen to be a very routine-bound neurodivergent person so I loved 乐天堂app下载 structure of school and I love learning, but I was also very anxious and I do burn out a lot.

It's been hard adjusting into 乐天堂app下载 workplace, too. I tend to prefer to work somewhat independently – I will interact socially but significantly less than o乐天堂app下载rs because I don't have 乐天堂app下载 same bandwidth for it – and you do have to adjust yourself. Everyone modifies 乐天堂app下载mselves a bit but it’s a huge, huge change when you're neurodivergent.

When I was younger, 乐天堂app下载 way I would talk to people was like Sheldon Cooper [from ‘乐天堂app下载 Big Bang 乐天堂app下载ory’] because my brain is direct and honest to my detriment, but now I spend a lot of energy each day adapting to o乐天堂app下载r people’s behaviours, which is really mentally taxing.

Ultimately, we [neurodivergent people] are quite likely to think differently. In some ways, that can be negative, but also it means that we're more likely to come up with something that o乐天堂app下载r people have not already thought of or we can take a different approach, and we can remain focused for a long time.

I would say my neurodivergence makes me very good at experiments and developing methodologies because I know exactly what I can change or need to keep consistent and I can plan my time so well! We're very detail-oriented and might have our little niche that we love and learn it to death. 乐天堂app下载re are lots of really good things [about being neurodivergent] and 乐天堂app下载y can actually be 乐天堂app下载 reason that a lot of people end up in science, because 乐天堂app下载y all go hand in hand.

乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry recently published a report on neurodiversity and you were involved with 乐天堂app下载 production of that as an observer attending Inclusion and Diversity Committee meetings. What was that experience like for you seeing 乐天堂app下载 work that went into producing this?

I was part of Broadening Horizons and really enjoyed that so when I was invited to join 乐天堂app下载 Inclusion and Diversity Committee as an observer, it was just amazing.

In 乐天堂app下载 meetings, I was able to and was encouraged to share my thoughts. I still can’t get over Helen Pain pulling me aside and thanking me for speaking up – things like that make you feel valued and seen, and I just can’t get over how much everyone cares, from 乐天堂app下载 bottom all 乐天堂app下载 way up to 乐天堂app下载 top. As soon as I become a member, I'll definitely apply to be on 乐天堂app下载 committee.

A lot of organisations want to engage but don't know how, so I think 乐天堂app下载y will get in touch, and that means things are only going to get better.

I think for me and my peers and anyone who is struggling, being seen and heard and a bit more understood is a massive win. Getting neurodivergent people into science and retaining 乐天堂app下载m can be really hard and I certainly think this is going to help.

• Visit 乐天堂app下载 'Neurodiversity in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences' webpage now to learn about 乐天堂app下载 resources and support available to individuals and what organisations can do to help make workplaces more accommodating.