OARacle Newsletter

OAR is delighted to announce the recipients of its 2024 Graduate Research Competition. The program offers up to $1,000 to master’s students and $2,000 to doctoral candidates or post-doctoral students to conduct autism-focused research. This year, OAR is awarding five grants totaling $7,199. These newly funded grants are a part of the more than $329,266 awarded to fund 185 graduate research studies since 2004.

OAR received 27 study proposals this year. Members of the OAR Scientific Council, a group of 18 autism professionals from various fields and backgrounds, reviewed and scored each proposal. Their evaluation was based on three key criteria:

• Alignment with OAR’s research priorities
• Methodological soundness
• 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.

Congratulations to the 2024 grant recipients:

• Tianna Etes, Oklahoma State University: Trust Me, I’m a Therapist: Investigating the Role of Mistrust in Mental Health Service Utilization and Well-Being among Black Mothers of Autistic Children
• Christina Layton, University of Rochester: An Investigation of the Complex Relationships between Sensory Reactivity, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health in Autistic Adults
• Renming Liu, Baylor University: Caregiver Assisting in Developing Independent Daily Living Skills (AID)
• Viviana Morales, Felician University: Challenges Faced by Latino Families in New Jersey to Access and Maintain Evidence-Based Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Luciana White, York St. John University: Autistic and Not Lonely: A Creative and Participatory Exploration of How Autistic Adolescents Experience Loneliness

For inquiries regarding the Graduate Research Grant Program or for more information on the 2025 funding cycle, please call OAR at 571-977-5391 or e-mail us at research @researchautism.org.