Scientists with disabilities can look at problems from a different and often very creative perspective. Tune out anyone who automatically says you can't do science. Don't get discouraged. Try to get some real-world experience, an unpaid internship, anything, early on. The more experience you have, the easier it will be to convince a recruiter that you can do the job.
Biopharmaceutical companies face chronic shortages of skilled workers.
And employers want to diversify their human resources pipelines to include more scientists with disabilities. It gives employers access to a new pool of talent, and helps students with disabilities break into science. We'd like to expand the program into the life sciences. In addition to financial support, IBM provides the program with a loaned executive, Jean Morrell, who works with AAAS to expand the program. Unum America, an insurance firm in Portland, Maine, and Dupont and Texaco join the program this summer, when about 40 students will participate.