At our recent Research Symposium, MacART Founder & Co-Director Dr. Stelios Georgiades announced the seven recipients of the 2023 MacART Trainee Awards.
The MacART Trainee Awards are meant to help trainees working in research in autism and/or other neurodevelopmental conditions, by supporting travel to events that would enhance their research training experience or by providing material supports such as software licenses, journal fees, other supplies, etc.
“The next generation will learn and do better. You may think that you are learning from us, but we are learning from you.” – Dr. Stelios Georgiades at the MacART Research Symposium.
This year, our winners are:
Dr. Yun-Ju (Claire) Chen
Claire will be using her Trainee Award funds toward her 2023 International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) meeting attendance and research presentation.
Claire is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, under the supervision of Dr. Stelios Georgiades.
“This cross-disciplinary exchange will help broaden my perspectives on autism research, and inspire me to think more creatively about potential research directions.”
Areeba Sharafuddin
Areeba will be using her Trainee Award funds toward supporting the focus group participants of her project, who will provide her with feedback on the feasibility of the Transitional Autism Communication Tool (TACT), an empirically-derived communication tool.
Areeba is in her second year of her MSc in the Neuroscience graduate program, under the supervision of Dr. Stelios Georgiades.
“The TACT aims to be the first tool to help bridge the communication gap addressed in previous literature amongst caregivers, clinicians, and educators.”
Sureka Selvakumaran
Sureka will be using her Trainee Award funds toward supports for studies on the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF), including statistical software (STATA/BE) and research participation incentives. She will also use her funds for printing her European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) 2023 conference poster.
Sureka is a third-year student in the OT/PhD Dual Degree Program, under the supervision of Dr. Briano Di Rezze.
“This research will expand our understanding of the ACSF as a new tool for the ASD field.”
Shane Cleary
Shane will be using his Trainee Award funds toward travelling to the Canadian Association for Neuroscience Conference to present his work on gastrointestinal symptoms and behaviour phenotypes in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Shane is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience graduate program (MiNDs), under the supervision of Dr. Jane Foster.
“This travel allowed me to network with other autism researchers, creating opportunities for future collaborations. It helped me disseminate my doctoral research findings to others interested in the immune role in autism.”
Jeffrey Esteves
Jeffrey will be using his Trainee Award funds to attend the Association for Behaviour Analysis International (ABAI) conference. He will present findings from his research on Autistic children’s use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
Jeffrey is a PhD candidate in Psychology, entering as an Autism/Child and Youth Mental Health resident under the supervision of Dr. Caroline Roncadin.
“Learning about new developments in the field will allow me to provide the highest level of care for PECS users, and training and support to direct care staff who support these children.”
Stephanie Studer
Stephanie will be using her Trainee Award funds to attend the Society for Psychological Anthropology (SPA) Biennial Conference.
Stephanie is a 2nd-year PhD candidate in the Anthropology graduate program, under the supervision of Dr. Ellen Badone.
“Ultimately, I hope that my research will help to provide practical and sustainable support for Autistic individuals who have high needs and for their caregivers, helping them to understand the disorder, its etiology, what support methods are available, and which ones are best suited to their circumstances.”
Mona Abdollahi
Mona will be using her Trainee Award funds toward travelling to the 16th Canadian Neuroscience Meeting (CAN-ACN 2023) to share her research findings on the underlying molecular mechanisms of autism.
Mona is a PhD candidate in the Medical Sciences PhD program, under the supervision of Dr. Margaret Fahnestock.
“By connecting with experts and sharing knowledge, I believe that I can contribute to the ongoing efforts to better understand the underlying mechanisms of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, which can lead to the development of more effective treatments and interventions.”
Learn more about the MacART Trainee Awards HERE.