The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2013 Graduate Research Grants.  This program, open to graduate students pursuing Master or Doctoral degrees, awards up to $1,000 and $2,000 respectively to those conducting research related to autism spectrum disorders. This year, OAR will make awards to 10 students totaling $17,499. With today’s grants, OAR has awarded over $155,000 in research grants to 85 graduate researchers since the first funding cycle in 2004.

OAR received 23 study proposals this year, the most in the history of the program. Members of the OAR Scientific Council, a group of 17 autism professionals from a variety of fields and backgrounds, reviewed and scored each proposal. Their evaluation was based on three key criteria: alignment with OAR’s research priorities, methodological soundness, and the relevance of potential findings for those affected by autism.  In keeping with OAR’s dedication to high quality research, only the best of the best were selected for funding.

Commenting on this year’s competition and grant recipients, Dr. Peter Gerhardt, chair of OAR’s Scientific Council, noted, “I am continually impressed by the quality of each application we receive, and the ability of my Scientific Council peers to identify the most promising studies.  The future of applied autism research is bright and these students are leading the way.”

Congratulations to the 2013 grant recipients:

Kristin Brown Birtwell, Suffolk University

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for parents of children diagnosed with ASD

Ainsley Boudreau, Dalhousie University

Peer-Mediated Pivotal Response Treatment for Young Elementary-School-Aged Children with ASD

Michelle Chinn Cannon, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Music Speaks Autism

Dorothea Iannuzzi, Simmons College

ED Utilization by Individuals with an ASD diagnosis: Assumptions and Presumptions

Krutika Jariwala, University of Mississippi

Quality of Life and Healthcare Utilization and Costs in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Brenna Maddox, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Eye-Gaze Pattern Analysis as a Key to Understanding Social Anxiety in Adults with ASD

Andrea N. Mascitelli, George Mason University

Reducing Caregiver Burden of Parents of Children with ASD with MBSR Therapy

Paloma Pedraza Rodriguez, Florida International University

Operant and Respondent Procedures to Establish Social Stimuli as Reinforcers in Children with Autism

Siva Priya Santhanam, Bowling Green State University

Child-related predictors of responsiveness in mothers of preschool children with ASD

Melissa Sreckovic, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Introducing Students with High Functioning Autism to Peer Social Networks

For inquiries regarding the Graduate Research Grant Program or for more information on the 2014 funding cycle, please contact Benjamin Kaufman, director, programs and community outreach at (703)243-9762 or e-mail research@researchautism.org.