Committee

	Name: Dr Eilidh Cage Institution: University of Stirling About: Eilidh is a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Stirling, and Course Director of Stirling’s MSc in Autism Research. Eilidh’s research looks broadly at the experiences of autistic adults and adolescents, and the challenges related to navigating a predominantly non-autistic world. She is particularly interested in autism acceptance (from both self and others), mental health and wellbeing, autistic identity and diagnosis, camouflaging (masking), supporting autistic students at university and ethical issues within autism research. She is also passionate about participatory and collaborative autism research with autistic researchers..
	Name: Dr Karri Gillespie-Smith Institution: University of Edinburgh About: Karri is a Developmental Psychologist interested in linking core social and cognitive constructs to real world applications in Autism. These core constructs include, social cognition, face perception, and self-concept. My overarching research theme is interested in how these core socio-cognitive strengths and weaknesses impact wider areas, including clinical behaviours, forensic applications, risk awareness, social media use. .
	Name: Susan Harrington Institution: University of Strathclyde About: Susan is currently a final-year PhD student at the University of Strathclyde, conducting research into how threshold concepts and transformative learning present in autistic adults. Being neurodivergent herself, and parent to two neurodivergent sons, she is passionate about participatory autism research in particular, and working to improve understanding of the reality of life as an autistic person. Susan is also very interested in learning in general and, more specifically, in how these threshold concepts, or moments of transformative learning, can be observed.
	Name: Dr Joe Long Institution: Scottish Autism About:
	Name: Dr Anna Robinson Institution: University of Strathclyde About: Anna is a developmental psychologist and person-centred-experiential therapist her research is two-fold: first, exploring emotional injuries and trauma, emotion regulation and interpersonal relating within group therapy, and second, exploring the impact of training practitioners (and family members) emotion-focused counselling skills in enhancing relational dynamics and in the reduction of trauma-related experiences. She is a Lecturer in Autism at the University of Strathclyde where she leads the EdD (Autism) and PhD Applied Autism Research.
	Name: Sarune Savickaite Institution: University of Glasgow About: Sarune Savickaite is a PhD candidate at the School of Psychology, College of Science & Engineering, University of Glasgow. Sarune has graduated BA Hons Illustration from the University of Bedfordshire and BSc Hons Psychology from the University of St Andrews. In between studies and whilst waiting for her PhD funding, Sarune worked in PR, publishing, and project management. Currently, she is looking into perceptual aspects of Autism and exploring it using Virtual Reality. Sarune’s PhD is through an Industrial Partnership with Sublime Digital. She is currently working on a number of projects with them alongside her studies.
	Name: Dr Mary Stewart Institution: Psychology, Heriot-Watt University About: Mary is a Reader in Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, the primary aim of the research in her lab is to break down barriers to integration for individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions. The work in her lab is based on two main themes 1) conceptualisation and measurement; 2) identifying issues across the autism spectrum which are related to quality of life and are malleable. Her research is currently focusing on 1) depression across the autism spectrum 2) auditory perception and language across the autism spectrum. She has published on sensory, perceptual, emotional and cognitive issues as well as on measurement of autistic traits. Mary is a founder member and Secretary of the British Society for the Psychology of Individual Differences. .
	Name: David Thorpe Institution: Heriot Watt University About: David is a PhD student at Heriot Watt University working on a project that aims to improve the employment outcomes for autistic adults. Being autistic himself, David has a personal interest in autism and a specific passion for increasing the understanding and support for autistic adults. He hopes to have a career where he brings autistic voices into the research spotlight.