Neurodiversity and Disability Studies Summit 2025 – Undergraduate Specialization in Developmental Disabilities and Human Services (DDHS)

Event Details

April 5th, 2025
11:00am-2:30pm
Furcolo Hall (and Zoom)

We are so excited to announce our second annual Neurodiversity and Disability Studies Summit at UMass Amherst this spring! This year, we are partnering with the Boltwood Project. We will have a poster session of undergraduate and graduate student projects, breakout presentations, and a keynote presentation.

This event is free and open to the community.

Location

The event will take place at the College of Education (Furcolo Hall) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The physical address is 831 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003. Parking is available directly outside the building at no cost.

The keynote and several breakout sessions will be live streamed as a Zoom webinar. Use the registration form above to receive the link two weeks prior to the event. Recordings will be posted for all speakers who agree to it.

Poster Session

11:00-11:45
Furcolo Hall (hallway outside of The Hub Cafe)
Coffee and snacks available in the Hub Cafe

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to present a poster (4×6) on a disability or neurodiversity related topic. Projects can include theses, research studies, independent studies, course projects, creative projects, and more! Posters submitted to the conference organizers will be printed at no cost to the student.

Welcome

11:45-12:00
Carney Family Auditorium (Furcolo Hall 125) or Zoom

Ashley Woodman, Director of the Developmental Disabilities and Human Services Program, and Joseph Krupczynski, Director of the Civic Engagement and Service-Learning Program, will welcome you to the second annual Neurodiversity and Disability Studies Summit.

Keynote Presentation

12:00-1:00
Carney Family Auditorium (Furcolo Hall 125) or Zoom

Expanding the Margins: Blackness, Disability Justice, and Intersectionality in (Global) Higher Education

Dr. Kat J. Stephens-Peace ‘22 is an award-winning scholar and educator whose work illuminates the intricate intersections of race, gender, and disability in higher education. A 2025 recipient of the ACPA Coalition for Disability “Intersectionality Award,” Dr. Stephens-Peace brings an unparalleled commitment to fostering equity and justice in academia. As an Assistant Professor in Ball State University’s Student Affairs Administration and Higher Education Program and an editorial board member for NASPA’s Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, she continues to lead critical conversations about dismantling structural ableism. Her keynote will explore the transformative potential of disability justice, drawing from her research on critical neurodivergence, disability culture at Predominantly White Institutions, and the lived experiences of Black women graduate students. Blending personal narratives, qualitative insights, and practical frameworks, Dr. Stephens-Peace inspires a reimagining of academia as a space of inclusion and belonging.

About Dr. Stephens-Peace

Photo of Kat Stephens-Peace, a black woman with black wavy hair at shoulder length, smiling.

Dr. Kat J. Stephens-Peace (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at Ball State University, an award-winning scholar, and a leading voice in higher education, disability justice, and intersectionality. As a 2025 recipient of the ACPA Coalition for Disability “Intersectionality Award,” her work is distinguished by its use of arts-based methodologies, such as poetic inquiry, to illuminate the experiences of marginalized communities. A scholar of the Global South, Dr. Stephens-Peace focuses on Blackness and disability across the African Diaspora, exploring the intersections of race, gender, and colonial legacies. Her scholarship, featured in leading journals, advocates for systemic transformation and academic inclusion.

Lunch Break

1:00-1:30
The Hub Cafe, Furcolo Hall

We will have a range of sandwiches and salads available. We ordered food in accordance with the dietary restrictions noted on the registration form.

Breakout Sessions

1:30-2:30
Visit each page for additional information about location and Zoom options.

Assistive Technology – What is it and Where to Find it?

Shelby Cortis
Iris Long

Neuroinclusion and UDL in Education

Jane Piselli

Teacher and a group of students on the floor in a classroom

Cultural Contexts of Care: Anthropology of Disability and Fragile X Syndrome

Caroline DeVane

Photo of people moving hay into a wheelbarrow in a farm setting

Integration, Not Pathology: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Framework for Autism and Mental Health Care

Ariel Pliskin

Driving Change through Storytelling

The Boltwood Capstone: (Dis)Ability, Ableism, & Social Justice

Little boy with hydrocephalus and his mother smiling at the camera

Historical Perspectives on Disability Advocacy

Kate Benson
Fred Pelka
Griffin Leistinger

From Theory to Action: Implementing Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices

Elizabeth Kilgallon

Cartoon image of people silhouettes with brains highlighted

Accessibility Information

Furcolo Hall is a one-level building with accessible bathrooms (with touch free power door openers). All classrooms and auditoria used for the summit are accessible. Presentations will be captioned. With the exception of the assistive technology hands-on demonstration, the breakout meetings will be accessible on Zoom as well.