July Activities at AASCEND

Posted on by

In lieu of the July Job Club  AASCEND  invites our members to join in several projects and presentations by autism friends around the world.

There will be no regular Job Club in July. Instead, AASCEND invites you to hear a timely (and free) online discussion via Zoom, on July 11 at 11am, and titled:

BEYOND THE TALK: Tools to Safely Navigate the Intersection of Race, Disability, and the Police

AASCEND friend and presenter Tom Iland will be on the panel. To register for the event click here. Registration closes Friday July 10 at Noon.

We will discuss the topics raised at a future AASCEND meeting.

Stay tuned for a July 18 AASCEND meeting featuring a presentation by the self-driving car manufacturer Cruise, which seeks input from our community about transportation needs and design issues.
Research Opportunity
Sara Schiattone, a graduate student at a university in Italy, is continuing her study of creativity in autism, and want to recruit more autistic adults to take two short tests about creativity, and to respond to a questionnaire. Privacy standards will be observed. As a student she has no budget to pay the participants, but in participating you may help the world see how autistic people can contribute their creativity. If you are on the autism spectrum, 18 to 70 years old, and are interested in participating please email info@aascend.org and we will forward it to Sara.
Another Research Opportunity
The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) and the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network have partnered with researchers to start co-designing a potential diagnostic tool for autism based on the lived experience of the autistic community.
The work is in very early stages. Right now, they need autsitic beta-testers to test out the tool. They will use the results to figure out if the tool is reliable, and to help identify things we need to improve. Beta testers will be compensated for their time with a $20 e-gift card. If you would like to help with this critical work, you can find more information at this link. 
Yet Another Research Opportunity!
Gala Korniyenko, a Ph.D. Candidate at Ohio State University, is conducting a survey of the experience of autistic adults participating in public events and decision-making processes. The study is approved by the Institutional Review Board, and the survey can be found here.
Whew! We hope that’s enough to keep you busy and out of trouble during the pandemic!