December 9th, at 12pm AEDT / 11am AEST / 2pm NZDT
Held online
Further details to be announced
News & Announcements
Margot Prior Award for Early Career Researchers: Application now open!
Professor Margot Prior (1937-2020) published the very first Australian journal article focused on autism (in 1973), and was deeply involved in the creation of the Australasian Society for Autism Research (ASfAR). In recognition of her substantial contributions to the field of autism research, she was awarded a lifetime membership to ASfAR upon its creation, with a dedicated Margot Prior Oral Presentation Prize for students awarded at each biennial Conference.
Upon Professor Prior’s recent passing, the ASfAR Executive Committee decided to establish two competitive awards for Early Career Researchers (ECR), with one dedicated each year to an autistic researcher. The Margot Prior ECR Awards (each valued at $2,500) will be granted annually, with funds able to be used toward directly funding research activity or equipment including laboratory visits, conference travel, or any related activity to further the individual’s research endeavours.
Applications are sought from members who are within 5 years of the PhD being awarded (career interruptions will be considered), are full ASfAR members, and who have standing in a university or research institute capable of accepting and administering the award (award will be made to and administered by the applicant’s institution). The awardees must submit a report to the ASfAR Executive one-year post-award.
Applications are due to this email address on 9 June 2025 at 5 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time, and will be reviewed and ranked by members of the ASfAR Executive Committee.
Criteria are detailed on the following link https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8uKE525hEBBXOia
Asia Pacific Autism Congress (APAC) 13-15th November 2025
Asia Pacific Autism Congress (APAC) 13-15th November 2025 Perth, Western Australia
Keynote Speakers Announced & Abstract Submissions Open
2024 ASfAR Autistic Researchers’ Webinar Series
We are delighted to announce the ASfAR Autistic Researcher 2024 Webinar Series coordinated by Dr. Chris Edwards, together with Dr. Bec Poulson and Prof. Laurie McLay from the ASfAR committee.
These webinars are for ASfAR current members only.
WEBINAR 1: Community perspectives and participatory approaches
12-1 PM AEST 4th September 2024
- Tori Haar: “We have so much to offer”: Community member’s perspectives on autism research
- Dr Patrick Dwyer: Community Views of Neurodiversity, Models of Disability, and Autism Support: Mixed MethodsReveal Shared Goals and Key Tensions
- Dr Alexandra Johnston and Dr Melanie Heyworth: Reflecting on participatory methodology to co-produce a resource for newly identified Autistic adults
Available to watch online in Members Area
WEBINAR 2 Supporting Autistic adult learners
12-1 PM AEDT 2nd October 2024
- Louise White: Autistic Adults’ Reflections on What Supported Their Transitioning on From Secondary School
- Rachael Wiltshire: Understanding and Improving Autistic Learners’ Experiences of Tertiary Education in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Emily Reuter: A Systematic Literature Review of Accommodations for Autistic Students in Australian Universities
Available to watch online in Members Area
WEBINAR 3 Mixed topics!
12-1 PM AEDT 6th November 2024
- Dr Alexandra Johnston: Co-facilitating a group program for parents of Autistic children from the lived experience of an Autistic Guide: An autoethnographical account
- Jessica Fox: ‘My best source of information is the women I work with’: The Experiences of Practitioners who Support Autistic Victim-survivors of Interpersonal Violence and Trauma
- Dr Chris Edwards and Dr Abbey Love: Measuring Loneliness in Autistic Adults: A Collaborative Approach to Refining the UCLA Loneliness Scale
Available to watch online in Members Area
WEBINAR 4 Parenting Autistic children
12-1PM AEDT 3rd December 2024
- Phoebe Jordan: “I wouldn’t want one or the other”: Understanding Parents’ Preferences for Direct Support or Parent Coaching for Young Autistic Children.
- ·Erin Salmon: “It’s hard to find the right time”: Factors Influencing Parent Decisions to Tell Their Autistic Child about Autism.
- Dr Melanie Heyworth: “There is nowhere else that I’d rather be than with them”: Parents’ joy in parenting Autistic children
Available to watch online in Members Area