Autism Acceptance Month: 5 Autistic Scientists/Scientists with Autism Making Waves in STEM

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a month where we celebrate neurodiversity and the achievements of individuals on the autistic spectrum around the globe, as well as advocate for the acceptance of differently-wired brains. One group of people who are playing an important role in both the push for acceptance as well as the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are autistic scientists.

Autistic scientists have several unique traits that may allow them to contribute significantly in STEM fields. For example, autistic people are detail-oriented and hypersensitive to their surroundings. They have unique ways of thinking and can come up with out-of-the-box ideas. Finally, autistic people believe in equality and looking past the obvious. Instead of following societal norms, autistic scientists believe in uplifting marginalised communities and the voices of the shunned through science. Here are five such scientists who have made a difference.

Temple Grandin

Dr Temple Grandin is perhaps one of the most famous names among autistic scientists. A scientist and animal rights activist advocating for the humane treatment of livestock before slaughter, she has done much work spreading awareness and acceptance of autism. Dr Grandin was always a unique kid. She spoke her first word when she was three and a half years old. Considered “weird”, she was teased and bullied in high school. As the rare female student in the course she was studying, male students harassed her. This didn’t stop her from becoming a leading scientist in her field and changing the lives of many, whether cows or people, she has come across.

Dr Grandin has studied the behaviour of livestock such as cattle, pigs, bison and antelope and the facilities they live in. Today, half of America’s cattle are handled in facilities she designed. She has also written numerous books on autism and her first book has been lauded as one of the first that presented an “inside narrative of autism”. She has spoken at a Ted talk of why differently-wired minds matter. She is the titular subject of an HBO Emmy-winning movie and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.

Monique Botha

Monique Botha is a community psychologist with a focus on autism, social psychology, equality, and mental health. Picking up multiple research papers written by scientists studying autism, she often found autistic people were being portrayed in ostracising and dehumanising ways. Rather than discouraging her from science, these examples of appalling ableism drove Botha to study discrimination of autistic people so that autistic people from all walks of life can live equitably, wherever they are.

Having a background as a social care practitioner working with autistic children and their families, she’s able to carry out research with a focus on actual solutions and applications that autistic people can apply in their daily lives. Botha has been carrying out groundbreaking work in autism psychology. She has published papers on minority stress and its relation to the autistic community, as well as a wide-ranging investigation of autistic identity and stigma. She has done a Ted talk about her personal experiences being alienated as a result of her identity and is presently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Stirling.

Stephen Shore

Dr Stephen Shore is an autistic professor of Special Education at Adelphi University. Diagnosed with autism at age 4 at a time when disabilities were widely stigmatized, Dr Shore was “too sick” and recommended for institutionalization. Now, he gives presentations, consultations, and talks, as well as writing books to promote the acceptance of autistic people in society and allow them to receive a better education.

He mainly teaches and researches on issues regarding autism, and has developed an autism certificate program as well as teaching other courses in special education. Presentations and workshops are events he frequently conducts. He has been on the board of many autism-related nonprofits. He has written books such as Autism Understanding for Dummies and College for students with disabilities. Besides that, he has done a Ted talk on the superpower of autism.

Jac den Houting

Dr Jac den Houting is a research psychologist and autistic activist working in pursuit of social justice and autism rights. A Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Macquarie University in Australia, Dr den Houting examines structural and systemic inequities in autism research, such as perceptions of participatory autism research, autism terminology and autism’s relationship with Covid-19. Dr den Houting is proudly queer and goes by they/them pronouns. They are a member of Aspect’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee and Advisory Council, paving the way for the inclusion of queer autistic people in science.

Dr den Houting was a psychologist in the criminal justice system for 10 years, which gave them experience for their current scientific endeavours. They did a viral TedX talk that debunks various myths and stereotypes about autism.

Kana Umagami

Kana Umagami is an autistic researcher with ADHD at The Centre For Research in Autism and Education, receiving degrees from different universities. As a scientist, she has studied loneliness in autistic adults. Besides that, she has started the first Autistic Peer Group at UCL and does online mentoring for other neurodivergent people. She has written multiple articles on autism, including for The Mighty.

Outside of science, Umagami has danced classic ballet since she was three years old. She has danced for school performances, art festivals and competitions. She has started to make videos of ballet barre classes for neurodiverse people.

Do you know of any other autistic scientists who deserve to be commended for the fabulous work they are doing? Comment down below!