We are pleased to announce we are establishing an Australian Autism Research Council to review and determine national priorities for autism research and address areas of need for the autistic and autism communities
Our vision is that the priorities established by the Australian Autism Research Council will guide the future focus of research activities and research funding by government as well as research and development undertaken by non-government organisations and other industry members who provide programs and services for the autism community.
We are committed to ensuring that future research priorities are the result of a community view, just as we did when defining the original CRC program of work that we are now undertaking. Accordingly, the council will include representatives of the autistic and broader autism communities, as well as service providers, health and education professionals, government program managers and policy makers, and researchers.
We are very pleased to announce that the inaugural Co-Chairs of the Council will be pre-eminent autistic researcher, author and advocate, Dr Wenn Lawson, and Autism CRC’s Chief Research Officer, Professor Andrew Whitehouse.
Other members of the Australian Autism Research Council will be announced in the coming months, with the council to hold its first meeting in June.
In the council’s initial phase, it will deliver a report on the current autism research priorities at the Australasian Society for Autism Research Conference on the Gold Coast in December.