Collin Diedrich
What makes somebody intelligent? Is it the ability to learn new things quickly? Maybe it’s being knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects? Some might even say that intelligence comes from awareness of the world around you.
Whatever your definition is, you most likely don’t consider people with learning disabilities to be very intelligent; Dr Collin Diedrich is somebody that might challenge that view.
Though he was born with two unspecified disorders, one which makes it near impossible for him to read and another which makes it hard for him to memorize basic information, Diedrich has a PhD in Molecular Virology and Microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh and a certificate in Disability Legal Studies from the same institution.
Diedcrich’s claim to fame is his work in exploring how HIV affects Tuberculosis. His position as a researcher did not come easy, being rejected from 7 of the 8 positions he applied for. Furthermore, the poor implementation of standardized tests throughout education systems worldwide can hinder otherwise bright people with inhibitions. Despite being a researcher, Diedrich scored in the bottom 30% of the population on his GRE reading section. Fortunately, his family was able to afford tutoring throughout his whole primary and secondary education.
Despite how things may seem, there are others like Diedrich. About 0.9% of all science and engineering doctorate recipients in 2011 identified as having learning disorders: in total that is 311 people! In Dr Diedrich’s words, people with learning disorders “think differently” in the sense that, despite being held back in various ways, their perseverance, manic passion for their work, and goal orientation give them a “paradoxical leg up”.
If anything, I would hope that Diedrich’s story has changed your view of what being intelligent really means and what people with learning disabilities can accomplish with the right resources and in the right environment. Everybody has something to offer the world even if it might not be obvious at first.