2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Dis/ability is a complex, evolving, and nuanced concept. Recognizing the absence of a clear definition of dis/ability, the first author proposed a “paint bucket dis/ability” theoretical framework through which dis/abled tertiary STEM student’s experiences can be examined. In this paper, we deductively map select experiences and conceptualizations of STEM graduate students to the first three axioms of the paint bucket dis/ability theoretical framework. The first three axioms state that dis/ability is: (1) temporary, episodic, transient, chronic, and permanent variations in mental, emotional, and/or physical functioning or appearance that deviate from society’s accepted norm; (2) the simultaneous (a) oppression of body/minds deviating from the norm and the (b) physical, material, and psychological pain, desire, impact, and fear of having a body-mind that is labeled as deviating from society’s accepted norm; (3) existing within a diverse and often fluid spectrum of apparentness, sometimes being readily apparent and sometimes not so readily apparent. This paper provides tangible excerpts from the experiences of dis/abled STEM graduate students to explore these axioms of the framework. This paper offers a common language from which to discuss dis/ability and illuminate factors that create and maintain marginalization, oppression, and violence by reducing ambiguity and opening dialogue on dis/ability and access needs.