July 16th, 2024

The Neurodivergent Engineer's Strategy for Success

Roberto Moreno, an engineer with autism, shares success strategies. Overcoming challenges, he excels at AgenciaSur. Emphasizes support systems for neurodivergent individuals, offers organization tips, and advocates for employer accommodations. Highlights benefits of IEEE membership.

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The Neurodivergent Engineer's Strategy for Success

Roberto Moreno, an engineer diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, shares his strategies for success in the field. Despite facing challenges like learning a new language and understanding social cues, Moreno has excelled as a technical leader at AgenciaSur in Chile. He emphasizes the importance of building a support system for neurodivergent individuals to combat discrimination and stigma. Moreno offers tips for staying organized and mentally healthy, suggesting tools like Kanban and Pomofocus for time management. Employers are advised to understand and accommodate the needs of neurodivergent employees, such as breaking down tasks into manageable parts. Moreno highlights the benefits of being an IEEE member, including networking opportunities and leadership training. He suggests ways for IEEE to better support neurodivergent members, such as creating mentorship programs tailored to their needs and streamlining project proposal processes. Overall, Moreno's story serves as an inspiration for neurodivergent individuals in the engineering field, showcasing how perseverance and a supportive environment can lead to professional success.

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By @tayo42 - 4 months
The reverse would be helpful. I was just talking with my friend about that. Like you can't just be like "hey can you be a little less autistic/focus better/be less erratic today?"
By @giantg2 - 4 months
“For example, one of my team members was having personal difficulties, and because of this he often completed his tasks late at night,” he says. “When assigning him a project, I needed to take this into consideration and estimate how long it would take him to complete it so as to not cause him more stress.”

Wow, how do I work for a guy like this? I've requested accommodations and I'm not getting them. My leadership team is encouraging me to work more hours to finish things faster, but then also says they don't want me to burn out.