We are the U21 Autism Research Network
Our team.
Our team are from 20+ universities across 12 countries (Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States).
Our Co-Directors are Dr Sophie Sowden-Carvalho from the University of Birmingham and Dr Connor Keating from the University of Oxford. If you are interested in learning more about or getting involved with the network, you can get in touch with us at s.l.sowden@bham.ac.uk or connor.keating@psy.ox.ac.uk.
Our team comprises autism researchers from around the world, dedicated to making research more inclusive and representative of the full diversity of the autism community.
The University of Birmingham & University of Oxford, UK
The Sowden Lab, Cook Lab (Birmingham) and Keating lab (Oxford) study social cognition and bodily movement (and the link between the two) in autistic and non-autistic adults. They also examine interpersonal relationships and social decision-making between neurotype-matched and mismatched interaction partners.
The University of Birmingham, Dubai Campus, United Arab Emirates
Dr Shereen Sharaan’s research to date concerns autism, bilingualism and executive functioning. She is passionate about facilitating understanding of and research about neurodiversity in the Middle East and encouraging the inclusion of diverse samples in autism research.
Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
The main objective of the research center ACTE (Autism in Context: Theory and Experiment) is to contribute to a better understanding of language development and communication skills in autism. Our research focuses in particular on the origins of language delays, social communication skills in children and adults and the implications of social communication differences in everyday interactions. To do so, we bring together investigation techniques from cognitive psychology (e.g., eye-tracking, EEG), social psychology (e.g., first impressions) and linguistics (e.g., discourse analyses, phonetic and phonological analyses) within an ecological research program, whose experimental dimension is geared towards specific sensibilities of autistic children and adults. Across all studies, we strive to consider the great heterogeneity that characterizes the autism spectrum. Visit their webpage at https://acte.ulb.be/index.php/en/
Waseda University, Japan
The Osu and Okamoto lab studies characteristic sensory-motor function of autistic people by multiple approaches. We investigate the development of brain functions related to body recognition in autistic people using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We also try to find autism specific body movement from children to adults by 3-Dimensional Motion Analysis Device and machine learning. Our goal is to contribute to the construction of developmental models of sensory-motor function of autistic and non-autistic people.
Please check our webpage https://sites.google.com/view/autismwaseda/home to learn more.
The University of Aukland, New Zealand
The small team of researchers from the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand works collaboratively to study auditory processing and speech and language development in autistic individuals. Dr Joan Leung and Professor Suzanne Purdy are involved in researching auditory processing challenges experienced by autistic people, and potential amelioration via remote-microphone hearing aid technology. They work closely with SoundSkills Auditory Processing Clinic in Auckland, and Joan is an autism specialist advisor to the practicing audiologists. They also work closely with Elizabeth Fairgray, senior speech-language therapist and professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, investigating the effects of atypical auditory processing on speech and language development. Dr Bianca Jackson is involved in research looking at communication between adults and children, and how sensory regulation influences communication skills. She works with families to develop communication and eating skills for enjoyable mealtimes. This team is embedded within a larger initiative called the Minds for Minds Autism Research Network based at the University of Auckland. Minds for Minds is focused on getting a better understanding of autism in order to help with diagnosis and contribute to the development of management options. The network encompasses a wide range of research activities (genetics, microbiology, psychology, physiology, immunology, audiology, speech language therapy) and is set to expand its research efforts further.
Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey
Dr. Elif Baştan, a faculty member in the newly established Department of Psychology at Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey, conducts research on neurodiversity, social cognition, and participatory methods. She aims to unite researchers focused on neurodiversity-related topics, such as autism and ADHD, to establish a dedicated research lab, and to promote participatory research methods in Turkey. Her team welcomes national and international collaborations, participant networks, and engagement with both internal and external stakeholders.
The University of Connecticut, USA
The Connecticut Autism and Language Lab (CALL) examines social communication skills at multiple levels, from speech sounds (phonology), to words (the lexicon), to language structure (syntax), to how language is used for social purposes (pragmatics and discourse). We aim to connect these complex communication skills with domain-general cognitive and perceptual processes, to try to understand the mechanisms that underlie language difficulties. Visit our webpage at https://eigsti.psy.uconn.edu/ to learn more.
The University of Vienna, Austria
Dr. Bianca Schuster is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow in cognitive neuroscience and psychology at the University of Vienna. Her work focuses on the role of dopamine in social cognition, emotion perception, and movement.
Østfold University College, Norway
Dr. Tamara Kalandadze is an Associate Professor of Special Education and neurodevelopmental differences at the Østfold University College, in Norway. Dr Kalandadze studies language, communication and mental health in autism, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and ADHD. Her most recent research concerns cross-neurotype communication, co-occurrence of communication and mental health difficulties, and camouflaging in ADHD. Dr Kalandadze is also involved in several meta-scientific projects. She is committed to making research in autism and other neurodevelopmental differences more diverse, inclusive, open and reproducible.
Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
The NINA Lab (Neurodesenvolvimento e suas Intervenções Informadas pela Neurociência), based at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, is led by Dr. Elizabeth Sheppard and focuses on neurodevelopment. Dr. Tally Tafla is currently a postdoctoral researcher in this lab, with her work to date centred on various forms of neurodiversity, including autism, intellectual disability, and Williams Syndrome. Her expertise spans psychological assessment, child mental health, cognitive development, and emotional and behavioural differences in children and adolescents.
The University of Hong Kong
Yulin Cheng is an autistic self-advocate and researcher dedicated to improving autistic well-being and promoting acceptance of autism in Hong Kong (and beyond). Her work explores explicit stigma, implicit biases, and community-led, rights-based neurodiversity movements. Passionate about representation and accessibility, Cheng strives to expand understanding of neurodiversity and create a more inclusive society for autistic people.
The University of New South Wales, Australia
Professor Eapen is the Chair of the Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Head of the Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry, Southwest Sydney, Australia. Her research interest focuses on epidemiology, neurocognitive processes and clinical presentation of neurodevelopmental differences such as Tourette Syndrome, Autism, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
San Diego State University, United States
Dr. Teresa Girolamo is an assistant professor in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. Her research focuses on language differences in autistic and non-autistic people, the role of clinical decision-making in identifying language disorders, and systemic biases in academic and clinical settings. She also advocates for and aims to promote the inclusion of racially and ethnically minoritised individuals in research.