Exploring the City Through Neurodivergent Sensory Experiences

I presented my first co-authored systematic review at the 5th International Congress of City Ambiences in Lisbon. The paper will be published in full towards the end of 2024, but I wanted to publish an accessible introduction here first!

This blog is interspersed with my own photography of Manchester, taken whilst walking and exploring with my co-author, Dr Carolina Vasilikou.

When we walk through a city—whether it’s commuting to work, attending classes, or meeting friends—walking becomes more than just a mode of transport; it’s a daily rhythm that connects us to our surroundings. However, for neurodivergent individuals, whose sensory experiences can differ from the typical, this act of moving through urban spaces can be more complex.

Ambience 2024, Bridge

While there’s increasing awareness around designing indoor environments to support neurodivergent needs, outdoor urban spaces have received less attention. A 2023 report from Autistica highlighted how neurodivergent needs are often overlooked, and urban design standards still lack guidelines for accommodating sensory sensitivities. We know that sensory differences are a key part of neurodiverse experiences, so we’re shifting the focus: rather than asking why neurodivergent sensory experiences are different, we want to understand how these experiences interact with the urban environment.

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7th November 20237th November 2024

Creative Methods: Autistic Researchers and Research Participants

Auto-photography and Collaborative Drawing: How Can Autistic Researchers Foster Inclusion Through Method Selection and Development to Investigate the Design of the Built Environment?

In this journal article for Sentio, I dive into how selecting and developing inclusive research methods can open doors for autistic researchers and participants, creating richer, more accessible forms of engagement. Traditional qualitative methods, like interviews, often rely on verbal communication and reading subtle cues, which can create barriers for autistic individuals. Autism is commonly described as a communication disorder, but the full picture is more complex: neurotypicals (those, who are not neurodivergent or autistic) and autistic people often struggle to fully understand each other, a phenomenon known as the “double empathy problem.” This issue arises because neurotypical people don’t always interpret autistic communication accurately, and vice versa, leading to misunderstandings.

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24th July 201729th August 2018

A Ph.D. Development Fellowship with UCLan

Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Screenprint
Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Close Up Etching
Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Outcome Exhibition Banner, PR1 Gallery, PV 19th December 2017
Rhizome Three Point One, Soft Ground Etching on Zinc, 2017, Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Rhizome Three Point Two, Soft Ground Etching on Zinc, 2017, Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Office, Screenprint on South Bank 28 x 38cm Jane E Bennett

I have had a fantastic time during the last year, working hard on my Ph.D. Development Fellowship.

The Artlab Contemporary Printmaking Studios is about to close down for the annual Summer break, and most of the Academic staff have left to take on their own research projects. For me, this means that for me the Ph.D. Development Fellowship has come to a close. Over the last year, I have immersed myself in new texts, written proposals and grown a professional academic network; something that I think would have been difficult to fully commit to without the support and guidance provided during this time.

I’d especially like to thank the staff at the Unversity of Central Lancashire

Dr. Andrew Broadey

Tracy Hill

Magda Stawarska-Beavan

Bev Lamey

All that is left to do now is organize the Ph.D. Development Fellowship, Artlab Fellowship, and AA2A Programme Exhibitions which will take place in the PR1 Gallery between the 16th December 2017 and 11th February 2018. I look forward to showing prints and installed works from my ‘1000 Plateaus’ project.

1000 Plateaus, Jane Elizabeth Bennett, Etching 2017 ©

I’d also like to announce that, due to this fellowship I have exciting new prospects on the horizon! I will be announcing these projects over the coming year.

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13th October 20164th August 2017

PhD Fellowship Award

Fellowship Award for PhD Development

I am delighted to announce that I have been awarded a PhD Development Fellowship from the University of Central Lancashire.

This Fellowship has been created to allow individuals a space in which to develop their PhD research question.

Since graduating from my Masters Degree in Site and Archive Intervention I have wanted to undertake a PhD. I have however been more focussed on developing myself professionally and travelling extensively.

During my Master’s Degree, I explored several themes. Kant’s Sublime, Camus’ Absurdity and audience relationship to immersive installation. This research culminated in a large-scale interactive installation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvtEYpMqTIQ

After graduating from my Masters with a high Distinction I have been left with a love of research. Now I have the ambition to enhance my practice with the knowledge and methodologies that researchers possess.

For this reason, I am pleased to have been awarded the PhD Development Fellowship, from the University of Central Lancashire.

The Fellowship will allow me access to the University of Central Lancashire’s Fine Art, Printmaking and Digital Facilities. The access provided will enable me to develop a new body of experimental work, that will inform my PhD research question.

I am most pleased to be returning to Victoria building which is the home of Art, Design and Fashion for the campus. The building houses a fantastic Printmaking facility staffed by two internationally acclaimed artists Tracy Hill and Magda Stawarska-Beavan. Since being granted the Fellowship, I have already designated myself a workspace and schedule. Over the coming weeks, I will be constructing more complex embossed works and advancing my practical printmaking skills.

In addition to the printmaking facility Victoria building is home to the Metal and 3D Workshop. The facility houses laser cutting equipment, specifically set to etch and cut perspex, a diverse material that I love to work with. I have a number of ideas for installations, sculptures and interdisciplinary works that will benefit from access to these facilities. I look forward to my induction into this workshop.

As part of the Fellowship, I will have access to the Hanover Building where Fine Art is situated.

Working in association with the Fine Art Department is something that I am particularly enthusiastic about. I will receive mentoring from academic staff in how best to prepare my practice for the rigours of a PhD and how to deliver my work within this context.

By working within this environment alongside staff and students, I will hone my established skill set and diversify my professional capabilities.

To say that I am grateful for the opportunity is an understatement, as is, to say that I am excited. I look forward to presenting new work over the duration of this Fellowship.