Welcoming Autism Researchers to The Sycamore School

We were delighted to welcome researchers from Griffith University’s Autism Centre of Excellence (ACE) and the University of Southampton, England, to The Sycamore School last week. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to share ideas, discuss current research priorities and showcase the innovative work taking place across our school. Our visitors were:

• Associate Professor Kate Simpson – Program Director, Postgraduate Autism Studies, Griffith University.

• Raechel Smart – PhD Candidate in Autism Studies and Lecturer, Griffith University. Raechel’s research explores mathematical problem-solving in autistic and non-autistic students.

• Hayley Mitchelson – PhD Candidate in Autism Studies and Lecturer, Griffith University. Hayley’s research focuses on school mobility and the factors that influence decisions to change schools.

• Chloe Eddy – PhD Candidate, University of Southampton. Chloe’s research examines non-school attendance among autistic girls.

During their visit, the researchers met with staff, toured the school and learned more about our educational programs and research initiatives. Our visitors were particularly interested in the School’s commitment to evidence-informed practice and its focus on improving life outcomes for autistic young people. Opportunities such as this help strengthen connections between research and practice, fostering collaboration and supporting the translation of research into meaningful outcomes for autistic young people.

We thank Kate, Raechel, Hayley and Chloe for visiting The Sycamore School and look forward to following their important work in the future.