Research
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UMARC members pursue research that aims to ultimately improve the well-being of autistic people, by:
- Exploring the behavioral, cognitive, and neural features of autism;
- Understanding the experiences and needs of autistic people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities;
- Developing and testing effective clinical, educational, and public health approaches for supporting autistic people of all ages and their families.
Autistic people are currently underrepresented in research about autism, and that needs to change! We are working to recruit and support more autistic students in our labs, so that autistic voices are included at every stage of our research, and so that the next generation of researchers will include more autistic leaders. When a research team includes no autistic members, we try to consult with autistic people and other community stakeholders to ensure that the research is consistent with their needs.
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Fostering friendships between autistic children and neurotypical peers
Recruiting schools interested in using a Literacy Based Behavioral Intervention (LBBI) to promote friendship development in K-5 students
Creating research environments inclusive of autistic students
Recruiting faculty and lab staff (lab managers, post-docs, paid research personnel) in STEM labs to be part of a focus group.
Understanding workplace communication challenges for autistic adults
Recruiting autistic adults, their coworkers, professionals who support autistic adults, and leaders at companies with a focus on including autistic employees.
Community-based Summer Social Skills Program
Recruiting 4- to 14-year-old child with developmental disabilities for a study on social communication and emotional skills.
Understanding loneliness in adolescents with autism
We are recruiting 11-14 year old adolescents with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder to participate in a study about loneliness.
Research news
UMD hosts the 6th annual Neurodiversity at Work Research Conference
On May 30-31, 2024, UMD hosted the 6th annual Neurodiversity at Work Research Conference. The conference was co-organized by Kathy Dow-Burger, Hala Annabi (University of Washington), and Andrew Begel (Carnegie Mellon University). Learn more about the conference here!
First Annual Fostering Inclusivity through Technology Workshop
In May, UMD hosted the first annual Fostering Inclusivity through Technology Workshop and the 6th annual Neurodiversity at Work Research Conference.
Research on Anxiety in Autistic Adolescents
Heather Yarger, an assistant research professor in the Department of Psychology, received a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to further her studies focusing on anxiety in autistic adolescents . Her work hopes to create more accurate racial...
PROMISE Receives Grant from Do Good Campus Fund
Promoting Meaningful Interaction and Social Engagement (PROMISE), led by Veronica Kang, received a $50,000 grant from the Do Good Campus Fund. PROMISE is a project focused on connecting the community of Asian American caregivers of children and adolescents with...
Contact us
If you’re an autistic student or researcher interested in getting involved in research at UMD, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at autism@umd.edu.