Square Pegs

In this first episode, Dr. Lexi Hain, Assistant Professor at the UConn School of Engineering, reflects on her struggles and successes with dyslexia and the anxiety it brings to schooling. She details early difficulties in elementary school with reading and the lasting anxiety this feeling of inadequacy brought. When she began her PhD, the drive to prove – mostly to herself – that she was good enough to finish a doctoral program led, eventually to self-acceptance. Lexi describes how she developed a healthier relationship with her research and herself, and the important lessons she hopes students can learn from her story. Now, as a member of faculty, Lexi reflects on how academia has changed for the better, and what work still needs to be done to create a more inclusive, collaborative, and innovative engineering field.

Square Pegs is a series of intimate conversations about navigating life and learning within the neurodiverse community, hosted by Dr. Arash Zaghi, Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Engineering. In each episode, we talk to neurodiverse students and experts in the field of neurodiversity.

Send feedback about Square Pegs to [email protected] or find us at squarepegspodcast.com.

00:28 Guest intro

06:45 K-12 and early struggles with feeling “behind”

19:30 Dyslexia, confidence, and battling imposter syndrome

25:03 Motivations to pursue academia and navigating graduate school with dyslexia

26:43 Shameless plug: Come do summer research at UConn! We have an REU Site for neurodiverse students!

30:35 Grad school, challenges: living and researching with dyslexia

36:18 Breaking the fear of rejection and inadequacy

44:18 Neurodiverse graduate students: the advisor perspective

54:10 Diversifying the Academy: beyond writing and what makes “good” research

Introducing Square Pegs, the podcast about neurodiversity in academia with host Arash Zaghi, UTC Professor in Engineering Innovation at the University of Connecticut. Listen in as Arash interviews students and professors with neurodiverse work and life experiences. 

Like what you’re listening to? Follow Square Pegs @squarepegspod on Twitter and Instagram. Have an experience, comment, or question that you want to share? Send us a message at [email protected].