Department of Chemistry
Disability, chronic illness and neurodivergence
Disability
Disability
The Department of Chemistry is dedicated to supporting disabled staff and students and creating an inclusive community that promotes positive attitudes towards disabled people.
The Department has a dedicated Disability Contact: Dr Stephen Cowling (stephen.cowling@york.ac.uk).
Staff and students are welcome to get in touch with Stephen to ask questions, give feedback, and discuss options for study or workplace adjustments.
Students can find information on academic support and adjustments options on the University Disability Services page:
Disability Services for Students
Staff can find further information on support for employees from Human Resources.
Information for Disabled Staff
INCLUDE (Inclusive Network Connecting and Linking University Disabled Employees) Disabled Staff Network: Launched by the Vice-Chancellor on 2 February 2015 as part of the University's continued commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all. Membership is open to all staff and the group aims to promote the value of disabled staff and improve their working environment by raising awareness, sharing good practice and providing a forum for ideas and issues.
Further information on Disability support:
Mental Health
Mental health
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. They can both change throughout our lives and in response to external factors. The Department of Chemistry is supportive not only of helping staff and students when they feel unwell, but also of helping everyone to develop positive wellbeing and emotional health.
Students
Supervisors
A Mental Health Resources Toolkit (intranet) is available for supervisors to help guide students to different sources of support.
Mental health contacts
The Department of Chemistry has a number of contacts who have been mental health first aid trained and can be approached by staff and students if they need support with mental health issues. The current list of contacts is available on our quick link list.
In addition the University has launched 'Mental Health First Contact' (MHFC) for staff, which is an in-house network of trained members of staff who are a first point of contact if you are experiencing emotional or psychological distress. You can contact any of the members direct and don't have to be based in the same department.
Mental health links:
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways.
University resources
Practical Guide to Learning Technology
Here you can find information on using technology to enhance your learning experience.
Informal support group of students and staff who share tips on juggling demands of studying and working at the University for those plagued by distractions. You can find and share resources on their collaboratively collated Tips, Tricks, and Strategies document.
IT services has guides for Chrome extensions and software available on managed PCs, including EquatIO and Read&Write. These resources are also available for download to student and staff personal computers.
Staff can also find training courses on the Learning Management System, including Autism Awareness and Disability Awareness (UoY sign-in required).
Other resources
Neurodiverse Postgrad Researchers Network
This national volunteer-run peer support network for PhD students, early career researchers, and postdocs has an active Twitter presence.