The Information Retrieval Specialist Group can trace its origins back to 1998, though the British Computer Society itself was founded in 1957. There are over 50 Specialist Groups, and in 2022 a NeurodiverseIT Specialist Group was formed as the result of the independent efforts of Richard Cornell and Matthew Bellringer. The Group is run for and by neurodivergentpeople and held its first meeting in April. It is growing fast and expanding its committee to make sure it is as effective and representative as possible. The Group welcomes those with diagnoses of neurodivergent conditions, those who identify with those conditions, and those with a personal or professional interest in neurodiversity.
The Committee members are
- Matthew Bellringer Chair and Inclusion Officer:
- Richard Cornell Vice-Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Publicity Officer:
- Desmond Alvares Treasurer and Early Careers Advocate
The objective of the Group is to help the industry access the unique talents of neurodivergent IT professionals, supporting those individuals in their work and raising awareness of their contribution to broader society through that work.
There is a more comprehensive set of objectives on the Group’s web site
My thanks to Matthew for his assistance in preparing this profile.