Exploring Brain-Computer Interfaces to Bring Diverse Brains to STEM
The demand for STEM-literate workers is growing rapidly as fields like artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and robotics become central to the economy and society. With these shifts comes a pressing question: Who will step into these roles and shape the future of technology?
Neurodivergent students are underrepresented in STEM, yet many of these students bring strengths that are needed for emerging STEM fields, including creativity, systems thinking, and strong pattern recognition. Traditional learning environments don’t always fully recognize or support their abilities, leaving students feeling excluded or unseen.
An exciting initiative from TERC is working to change that. NeuroVivid introduces middle school–aged neurodiverse learners to brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) through an immersive maker camp experience. Early findings show statistically significant increases in students’ interest in STEM and more expansive perceptions of what STEM can look like. Campers also demonstrated stronger STEM self- efficacy, a key predictor of whether students will pursue science and technology over time.
Building Skills, Identity, and Future Opportunity
At the heart of NeuroVivid is a unique opportunity: students use simple electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets to visualize and interact with their own brain activity. These headsets measure brain activity associated with attention and focus, allowing participants to build circuits that respond to the activity in real-time. They then use a block-coding language to control lights, sound, and more in their circuits, culminating in interactive projects of their design.
These activities are paired with engaging lessons in neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and human-computer interaction. The goal is not only to teach technical skills but also to help students understand how the brain works and how it can connect to technology. This opens new pathways for exploring careers in fields like neurotechnology, computer programming, biomedical engineering, software development, and AI-integrated design.
While using the EEG headset to control an LED, one camper exclaimed, “Look at how powerful my brain is!” Another camper described the camp as “a fun scientific journey with wiring and coding...and the brain!” Participants gain hands-on experience in:
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Coding and algorithmic thinking
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Circuit design and engineering
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EEG technology and human-computer interaction
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Brain and nerve structure and function
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Collaborative design and STEM communication
Yet the greatest impact may be how students see themselves. Many participants said it was the first time they felt truly successful in a STEM space. Students began to develop a STEM identity and, for some, a new sense of belonging.
NeuroVivid campers explore the power of their brains by building circuits and using EEG headsets to control a fan and guide a ball through an obstacle course.
Designed With Neurodivergent Voices at the Center
What makes NeuroVivid especially notable is its co-design process. The project team worked with 10 high school and early college students who self identified as neurodivergent. The curriculum, activities, and materials were shaped by their lived experience, helping to ensure the program was inclusive, flexible, and authentically aligned with the needs and strengths of neurodivergent learners.
One co-designer described the experience this way: “I felt being a co-designer was really good because it helped me see other positions [viewpoints]... the fact that you could just get to work with others and have combined brain power towards a single goal..And then the other rewarding part was seeing it all come together at NYSCI (New York Hall of Science). That was just amazing!”
The co-design approach is central to the project’s goal of ensuring students are not just accommodated but empowered. It reflects a broader shift in STEM education toward valuing diverse ways of thinking and learning as essential to innovation.
NeuroVivid campers learn the basics of circuitry by building paper circuits and document their daily learning through exit tickets, capturing their engagement with the experience.
A Scalable Vision for Inclusive STEM
With new funding from Britebound, the NeuroVivid team is expanding this work through NeuroVivid Pathways, which builds on the NSF ITEST-funded NeuroVivid project to broaden access to meaningful STEM experiences for neurodivergent middle school youth. After piloting several 5-day NeuroVivid camps at NYSCI, the team is refining the BCI maker curriculum into an adaptable experience that can be used in a range of informal learning environments. NeuroVivid Pathways will bring the model to new sites and communities while laying the groundwork for a sustainable and expandable approach that can reach students across the country. The long-term vision is to integrate the model into Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that reach an even broader range of students.
As artificial intelligence and neurotechnology continue to grow in importance, programs like NeuroVivid offer a glimpse of what a more inclusive approach to STEM education can look like. By helping neurodivergent learners visualize their own brain activity, build with cutting-edge tools, and see their ideas come to life, educators can send a powerful message: the future of technology belongs to everyone.
Educators and program leaders can find more about bringing inclusive STEM learning into their own communities by visiting terc.edu/projects/neurovivid-pathways/
