“…ask about research and what you can learn, and just be proactive, search and make the opportunities.” — Jóhanna Bjartmarsdóttir (BA ’25)
Jóhanna Bjartmarsdóttir (BA ’25) recently graduated from her education sciences program determined to make a change for students with disabilities. As an Icelandic student who is autistic, has ADHD and dyslexia, she has faced unique challenges that inspire her to improve education opportunities by sharing her story and working towards her goal of being a program developer.
A recent summa cum laude graduate, Bjartmarsdóttir wrote an autoethnographic high honors thesis laying out the challenges neurodivergent students face in the education system and the tools she has used to overcome them. With support from her faculty supervisor, Nigel Newbutt, Ph.D., Bjartmasdóttir used herself as a case study, evaluating her own experience while advocating for more alternate models that could be used in the future.
Bjartmarsdóttir’s experience with the College of Education has been foundational in her career aspirations of becoming an instructional designing and curriculum developer, by utilizing UF student resources and excelling in fields she found challenging in Iceland. One key resource was the Education Library, where she met education librarian Brittany Kester (Ph.D. ‘24). As a mentor, Kester played a pivotal role in cultivating Bjartmarsdóttir’s research skills.
One of Bjartmarsdóttir’s most significant academic accomplishments was serving as the lead author of a paper as an undergraduate. Together with her co-authors, she is examining the state of research on school-based mental health literacy and educational interventions. The goal of this scoping review is to help inform future research and the creation of a future standardized, universal curriculum that promotes mental health in schools.
For the scoping review, Bjartmarsdóttir worked in an interdisciplinary team with three other professionals. One of those was Kester. Bjartmarsdóttir found Kester’s guidance, knowledge and experience invaluable, sharing that “she has been an amazing mentor and taught me so much about research, and helped me develop skills that will serve me throughout my career.”
Alongside her studies, Bjartmarsdóttir is the founder and CEO of HARTS. HARTS is an Icelandic-based education technology company that works with institutions to create accessible environments and promote inclusive education spaces for all. Their services help educators make “engaging content and effective materials to help every learner succeed.” Bjartmarsdóttir also advocates for raising awareness and destigmatizing students with learning disabilities by speaking publicly about her experiences. She is also working with the University of Iceland to enhance the accessibility of their courses and is working on publishing her high honors project.
Bjartmarsdóttir encourages others to “take advantage and reach out to teachers because they are really receptive when they have an interested student.” This fall, she started her master’s degree at the University of Florida. When sharing about the many skills she has learned during her time at UF, Bjartmarsdóttir offered this advice to current students, “ask about research and what you can learn, and just be proactive, search and make the opportunities.”