News and Knowledge

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 drew a diverse group of interdisciplinary professionals, including clinical researchers, practicing psychologists, occupational therapists, special education teachers, parents, and self-advocates. The conference featured a wide range of topics that informed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, treatment, intervention, and processes, including family issues, assessment evaluations, comorbid syndromes, and cultural perspectives, as well as neuroscience, molecular biology, and new technologies.

These highlights, selected from over 1,400 sessions and posters, describe contributions from OAR-related presenters:

• Paul Shattuck, Ph.D., member of the OAR Scientific Council and director of the Life Course Outcomes Research Program at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, gave a keynote address entitled “Moving the Needle.” He presented the results of the Institute’s recently released Vocational Rehabilitation Report. More importantly, he unveiled a nationwide database system that is currently in development with the aim of tracking the life course of individuals on the spectrum across the United States. Dr. Shattuck challenged researchers in the audience to collaborate with individuals on the spectrum, appealing to their social roles outside the realm of academia to help effect public policy change at the population level.
• Stephen Shore, Ed.D., Scientific Council member and assistant professor at Adelphi University, led a Special Interest Group called “Bridging the Research/Application Gap: Incorporating Autistic Intellect in Research Design and Evaluation” to discuss collaboration, involvement, and inclusion of researchers with autism.
• Jonathan Campbell, Ph.D., Scientific Council member and a professor at the University of Kentucky, reported on his examination of the cross-cultural accuracy of three early autism screening instruments.
• Marika Coffman, who received an OAR graduate grant in 2014, presented her findings on a siblings support group. “Families of individuals with ASD are understudied, and it was great to be able to contribute to emerging work on siblings thanks to Dr. Julie Wolf’s support…I was excited to learn about the good work happening across the nation from my fellow panel members as well,” she said.
• OAR-funded researchers Rachel Loftin, Ph.D., Lauren Kenworthy, Ph.D., Cara Pugliese, Ph.D., and John Strang, Ph.D., presented on a range of topics, including executive function and gender differences.

IMFAR promotes the “highest quality autism research in order to improve the lives of individuals affected by ASD” through:

• Offering career development and networking opportunities for aspiring researchers
• Showcasing a range of studies that address the increasingly diverse needs of autism
• Sparking discussion among individuals with autism and professionals representing various perspectives
• Disseminating research to inform research priorities, public policy, and practice that continue well beyond the event

If you know of a conference or other community event that could benefit from OAR’s participation or support, including informational resources for participants or speakers, please contact OAR at 703-243-9710 or programs@researchautism.org. All recommendations and related inquiries are welcome.