OAR invites graduate students to submit research proposals for its annual Graduate Research Grant Program. Since the program was established in 2003, OAR has awarded over $208,000 in grants to fund 116 graduate research studies. Last year, OAR made grants to 11 students with grant awards totaling $19,387. OAR hopes to build on this success in 2017,…
Yasmin Rafiq, programs and outreach intern, joined OAR on September 12 for an internship that will last until mid-December. Currently a graduate student at George Mason University, Rafiq is working on a Master of Science in Health and Medical Policy. She chose OAR for her internship because she was “drawn to the organization’s strong focus…
It’s not often that an employee leaves a job and then returns, but that’s exactly what Sean Flynn, OAR’s new manager of endurance fundraising, did. Flynn will manage all of OAR’s endurance events, which include OAR’s signature RUN FOR AUTISM program, triathlons, and events like Tough Mudder, a team-oriented obstacle course designed to test physical…
by Michael Maloney, OAR Executive Director OAR is saddened to learn of the death of Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, on July 29. She was a remarkable woman and a champion for all families impacted by autism. Along with her husband, Bob, Suzanne founded Autism Speaks in 2005, after their grandson was diagnosed with…
The 15th annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) took place from May 11 to 14 in Baltimore, Md. More than 1,000 attendees from over 40 countries across the globe, including several of OAR’s Scientific Council members, research grantees, and friends, convened to exchange and disseminate the latest findings in autism research. This four-day conference…
Julia Selman and Rebecca Bradley began summer internships with OAR last month. Both will work on projects related to programs and outreach. Bradley will be a senior at the University of Maryland this fall where she is majoring in psychology. Selman, who will be a junior at the University of Richmond, is also pursuing a…
Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity watchdog organization, awarded OAR its coveted four-star rating in its latest ratings announced June 1. This is the sixth time that OAR has earned this top distinction. OAR earned the coveted rating as a result of its strong financial health, sound fiscal responsibility, and commitment to accountability and transparency in…
Meghana Shetty and Lindsay Goodman began internships at OAR in January. Goodman will be with OAR until the end of April while Shetty will stay until the end of May. Shetty is a 2014 Northwestern University graduate who is currently applying to graduate schools. “Having studied neuroscience and psychology in college, I was immediately attracted…
At first glance, OAR’s newest member of its Board of Directors, Christine Searight, may not seem to fit. She has no direct tie to autism and she doesn’t work in an autism-related field. Dig a little deeper, though, and you will hit a rock-solid commitment to helping people with autism and their families overcome challenges…
