Achievements
Since 2008, we have expanded autism knowledge through high quality scientific research.
Our findings have informed resources, tools, training and support for Autistic people, their families and those that support them.
Autistic voices are central to research design and practice. Their perspectives are crucial to achieving our mission. Thank you to our research participants and partners for your support.
- Developed effective early identification strategies and tools to aid the earlier diagnoses of children. More than 1 Million children screened for autism globally using this method
- Launched world-first early autism identification app ASDetect. Available in English, Mandarin Chinese, Slovak, Spanish and Polish.
- Developed autism specific evidence based content for the Raising Children Network (RCN) website
- Provided evidence for the scientific validity of tools for Autistic adults in partnership with the Autism CRC:
- Provided evidence for the scientific validity of the Suicide Assessment Kit-Modified Interview for Autistic adults. Now translated to Dutch and included in the Flemish Suicide Prevention Strategy
- Co-developed of world-first suicide prevention website The Suicide Response Project specifically targeting neurodivergent and LGBTIQA+ communities, to help friends, family and peers come to their aid. Recommended by the New South Wales Government’s Agency for Clinical Innovation and adapted for the RU OK? website
- Created resources for neurodivergent students transitioning to higher education at the Neurodiversity Hub.
- Trained all Victorian and Tasmanian Maternal and Child Health nurses in early autism signs in 2018, continuing for new staff
- Trained all early childhood medical professionals in Tianjin (China’s fourth largest city) on early autism signs
- Created the world-first online mental health and wellbeing training for managers of Autistic staff
- Developed Australia’s first undergraduate subject on autism - Understanding and Support for autism
- Co-developed the National Early Days workshops for families together with the Parenting Research Centre
- Trained female health volunteers in Nepal in early autism signs.
- Created Supporting a neurodivergent workforce: A mental health and well-being resource and training package
- Launched a program to support young adults with disability thrive at the gym - GYM-SPARC
- Launched the Working with Autistic clients: A brief introductory autism awareness training for psychologists.
- Jointly founded the Australasian Society for Autism Research (ASfAR)
STUDENT SUCCESS
Our academics have mentored more than 120 research students from Honours, Masters, Doctoral and PhD’s since 2008. We have also established pathways for Autistic students to study with us including the Sylvia Walton Scholarship and the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre PhD Scholarship for Autistic scholars.
Awards