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  • Neurodiversity

How I design classes, teams, and stories for many kinds of minds.

I didn’t know I was neurodivergent. I just knew that crowds overwhelmed me; I could vanish into hours of hyperfocus, and I picked up writing, code, philosophy, and music early—without knowing why. I had a few friends, and I often felt like I was outside the norm. School in the late 1980s/1990s was both sweet and sour: moments of wonder and long stretches of not fitting in. When I was given freedom to think and create, I flourished. Launching companies as an undergraduate, earning scholarships in graduate school, and learning that progress isn’t linear. After my son was born, I sought a formal diagnosis and recognized how long I’d been masking. Today, as a full professor and writer, I embrace my neurodivergence and design classes and teams that allow different minds to do their best work. This page is for anyone who has felt too much or too different. Your way of thinking isn’t a detour; it’s a map.

Eric circa 1983, Nikolausberg, Germany

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Teaching

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Research

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Writing

Guiding principles of inclusion and research teams

Clarity > speed

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

Many ways to participate

"Clear structure always beats hustle."


In practice: 


  • Publish checklists, timelines, and definitions for every project.
     
  • Share agendas 24 hours before meetings; end with written decisions.
     
  • Keep a simple “What / Who / When” tracker visible to everyone.

Many ways to participate

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

Many ways to participate

"People contribute differently; make room for that."


In practice:


  • Accept spoken, written, or visual contributions.
     
  • Offer async options (notes, Loom/voice memos) when live talk is hard.
     
  • Keep captions on; summarize key points in writing.

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

"Match tasks to brains; protect focus."


In practice:


  • Assign roles by strengths (pattern-finding, synthesis, coding, viz, comms).
     
  • Block no-meeting deep-work hours; schedule reviews around them.
     
  • Break work into scoped chunks with one clear owner.

Flexible timelines, mastery over speed

Flexible timelines, mastery over speed

Strength-based roles & deep-work windows

"Deadlines should serve learning and quality."


In practice:


  • Default grace window (e.g., 48h) without stigma.
     
  • Use milestones (draft → revise → final) instead of single drop-dead dates.
     
  • If late, submit a one-line plan; we adjust and move on.

Sensory-aware, access-first spaces

Flexible timelines, mastery over speed

Sensory-aware, access-first spaces

"Comfort improves cognition."


In practice:


  • Note room light/noise; allow camera-optional meetings.
     
  • Provide quiet spaces and remote participation by default.
     
  • Share readables (PDFs with real text, alt-texted images, high contrast).

Kind, direct feedback

Flexible timelines, mastery over speed

Sensory-aware, access-first spaces

"Safety plus rigour produces the best ideas."


In practice:


  • Critique the work, not the person; state what works before gaps.
     
  • Use RAG status (Red/Amber/Green) to flag issues without drama.
     
  • Disagree in private first, document the resolution, then move on.

Writing & Storytelling

How different minds metabolize complexity.

I write short fiction where map meets memory—stories shaped by places that linger and patterns most people overlook. Neurodivergence is part of my instrument: hyperfocus, unusual associations, and a sense for systems let me compress big questions into human-scale moments. On the page, I’m less interested in plot fireworks than in the quiet turn. The precise image, the spatial detail, the sentence that shifts the room by a few degrees. Recent pieces appear in literary magazines; new work arrives in bursts between classes, research, and long walks across the city.


In progress: Toronto Subway Story ♥ · Massacre at Point Bear ♥
Latest: “Salam in the Garage,” Flash Fiction North (June 2025)

Resources (External links)

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach out to me at evaz@torontomu.ca if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Email me and contact TMU Academic Accommodation Support (AAS). Once AAS confirms your plan, we’ll align course requirements with your needs. You never have to disclose diagnoses to me.

Tell me what you need to participate now (e.g., captions, extra time, alternate submission). We’ll use a provisional plan while you connect with AAS.

Predictable structure, multiple ways to participate (spoken, written, visual), and materials posted in accessible formats (captioned, readable PDFs). We prioritize mastery over speed.

Default grace window: 48 hours without penalty. For larger changes, send a one-line plan (what you’ll deliver and when). We adjust and keep the project moving.

We assign strength-based roles, keep short structured meetings with written agendas/decisions, and protect deep-work windows. Disagreements are handled privately and documented.

No. Share only what helps us support your learning or work style. Any personal information you offer stays confidential within the instructional/research context

Check the posted notes/recording and send a brief update on next steps. We’ll agree on a revised micro-deadline so you’re back in sync.

See the Resources section on this page for TMU services, Ontario accessibility guidance, WCAG, and a few vetted external programs

I care because this is personal and practical. I’m neurodivergent, and so is my son, and I’ve seen both the cost of masking and the power of being given room to think differently. As a professor and researcher, I also see how much talent universities miss when we equate “typical” with “capable.” Building neuroinclusive classes and teams isn’t charity; it’s how we get better ideas, fairer opportunities, and stronger results. I want students and collaborators to spend energy on the work. Not on pretending to be someone else.

Eric Vaz - Website

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