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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Dr Keren MacLennan @kerenmaclennan.bsky.social · 13d

New publication on Autistic adults’ experiences of attending live music! I am really proud of this study! You can read it for free here: doi.org/10.31219/osf...

New research: “It's like all of my senses and my body become more awakened”: Autistic adults’ experiences of attending live music. Herbet, G., Smith, A. & MacLennan, K. (2025). Autism in Adulthood Journal

Music matters for Autistic people: Live music can be deeply meaningful for many Autistic people - bringing both joy and social connection.

Barriers to live music: Autistic people encounter challenges at music venues and events. We investigated Autistic adults’ experiences to understand what could make live music more inclusive.

Planning is essential: Attending a gig can feel like a “military operation” - from mapping exits to packing earplugs, Autistic attendees prepare carefully to manage uncertainty.

Crowds are complex: Being in a crowd can be a positive experience (social connection, shared energy) but also stressful (noise, closeness, unpredictability).

Sensory duality: Live music can create moments of immersive joy (“the vibrations bring out the colours in my mind”), but also sensory overload (“my brain is screaming at me”).

Staff make the difference: Supportive, understanding staff can transform the experience - reducing stigma and creating safe, inclusive spaces.

Inclusion reduces isolation: Working together to improve inclusivity at live music venues and events would help Autistic people access the joy of live music - fostering social connection and belonging.

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · 16d

I'm never not tempted by a beginning-of-term poster sale on a university campus, despite the fact that I am not a college freshman. Today I considered this Eraserhead poster from the University of Bath.

A poster advertising a variety of movie and art posters available for sale, including a thumbnail of the Eraserhead film poster.

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 24d

If we can turn away from interminable social media arguments into practical examination of service provisions that actually benefit autistic people, we will be making a better world.

#neurodiversity #SNS25

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Laura Crane @lauramaycrane.bsky.social · 26d

#AECongress25 attendees: here's some Autism Research Starter Packs, where I've tried to collate BlueSky accounts from those who do/support/facilitate autism research. Let me know if I've missed anyone!
1. go.bsky.app/B9XV8UA
2. go.bsky.app/Pfbbvot
3. go.bsky.app/DWvXhk6

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · 26d

Could be the moomin influence

a cartoon character is blowing bubbles in a field .

ALT: a cartoon character is blowing bubbles in a field .

media.tenor.com

Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · 26d

There’s a free #AECongress2025 / #AEC2025 barbecue ticket that I put at a high table near the codex booth for anyone interested in going. I had a colleague who had to leave early for a family emergency and I don’t know who to give it to. Someone use it!

Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · 26d

#AECongress2025 guys please 😭😭

Bernie sanders meme that says “I am once again asking that you don’t loudly chat and leave at the beginning of the q and a”

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · 27d

Kate Cooper and Leon Allain presenting our lab’s work at Autism Europe #AECongress2025 ! (I spent a long time editing this photo to make it look normal but it looks like the northern lights now!)

Two people (Kate cooper and Leon allain) on a stage by a podium that is labeled Autism Europe. They are in front of a PowerPoint slide with the title of the talk and its authors. Title: Autism transition to adulthood groups (ATAG): feasibility RCT of a new peer-group intervention to promote successful transition to adulthood for autistic young people. Authors: Kate Cooper, Leon Allain, Benjamin Redmayne, Rachel VanDaalen, Annabel Burnley, Bryony Beresford, Laura Crane, Labeebah Islaam, Max Vazquez Morales, Lucy Portway, Ailsa Russell, Will Mandy. Logos of universities are on the bottom of the slide.

Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Aug 28

When you read a paper from 2007

Screenshot from an academic paper of text that says, "Asian respondents were solicited using the online social networking site MySpace. Two of the authors joined a Korean MySpace group, and shortly after becoming..."

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Aug 27

The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit will be Sept 13-15. Once again we are offering tickets for up to 50 online attendees! Info linked below. Contact us at ThinkingAutism at gmail if you'd like a ticket. It's going to be a fantastic event.

stanfordneurodiversityproject.stanford.edu/stanford-neu...

Stanford Neurodiversity Summit

Welcome to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. We are holding our sixth annual Stanford Neurodiversity Summit from September 13-15, 2025. The theme of this year's summit is "Leveraging Neurodivergent...

stanfordneurodiversityproject.stanford.edu

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Jul 5

unfortunately me whenever i go to a bookstore

The "I should buy a boat" meme where a cat in a suit is reading a newspaper with the caption "I should buy a boat." However, it has been edited to say, "I should write a book"

Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Jul 3

everything is terrible except for this

ClimateBook @climatebook.bsky.social · Jul 3

Did you know Wisconsin has a State Soil? It's Antigo Silt Loam, and the soil scientist F.T. Hole wrote a song in its honor. Here is my first attempt at a cover of the tune.

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Laura Crane @lauramaycrane.bsky.social · Jun 26

Calling autism community members and justice professionals (with experience in Magistrates/Crown Court) to help co-design new, accessible resources for autistic people involved in criminal court systems in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 & 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Autism community: lnkd.in/ekxQ_wV5
Justice professionals: lnkd.in/ee8SXbmd

#AutRes

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · Jun 16

The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit is coming, September 13-15, 2025! This incredible learning opportunity is hybrid, with neurodiverse (not just autistic!) employers, service agencies, educators, plus students, parents, and professionals.

stanfordneurodiversityproject.stanford.edu/stanford-neu...

Stanford Neurodiversity Summit

Welcome to the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. We are holding our sixth annual Stanford Neurodiversity Summit from September 13-15, 2025. The theme of this year's summit is "Leveraging Neurodivergent...

stanfordneurodiversityproject.stanford.edu

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Jun 16

Alright everyone, one last push.

If you or anyone you know is:
- LGBTQ+
- 13-24 years old
- In the US

Trevor Project is recruiting responses for their survey on LGBTQ+ mental health.

It has HUGE impacts on policy, please take it and share widely if you can :)

trvr.org/survey2025

To proceed to the survey, please check off the box and click the button below.

trvr.org

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Jun 13

Amazing

Screenshot from job ad that says:
PhD studentship: assistive wearable technologies: what are the right trousers? And who are they right for?
School of engineering mathematic and technology & school of psychological science.
University of Bristol.
Location(s): Bristol

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Centre for Research in Autism and Education @craeioe.bsky.social · Jun 12

For next month’s #CRAEwebinar we are looking foward to being joined by Sarah Hampton who will share their research on environmental influences on anxiety and depression and autistic young people.

10th July 4pm gmt

www.eventbrite.co.uk...

Environmental influences on anxiety and depression in autistic young people

Join Sarah Hampton as she shares research that asks, why do many autistic young people experience anxiety and depression, and what can help?

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Jun 6

happy pride to everyone from me, a person who was referred to by university counseling center colleagues as a "queer elder" at the ripe old age of 28 a few years ago

Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · May 26

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Wait this article on neurodiversity and Overwatch by @rebecchikevin.bsky.social combines all of my interests !

Representation of neurodiversity in video games: analyzing autism through the character of Symmetra in Overwatch 2

This study explores the representation of neurodiversity, particularly autism, through the character of Symmetra in the popular video game Overwatch 2. By employing the Digital Game Analysis Protoc...

www.tandfonline.com

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · May 24

“Marking”
You’ve assimilated

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · May 19

Since then, we've developed some supplementary modules and translated it into Spanish and Cantonese. We've unfortunately had to change the title (now called Empower to Employment, or E2E), so you can find the videos here: med.stanford.edu/neurodiversi...

E2E Curriculum

med.stanford.edu

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · May 19

We co-developed an online training about how to support autistic adults and adults with IDD in the workplace, and we piloted it with job coaches, parents/carers of neurodivergent adults, and employers. Participants increased in knowledge and self-efficacy in their abilities to support ND workers

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · May 19

🧪New paper published in @autisminadulthood.bsky.social: "Development and preliminary efficacy trial of DIVERSE: A curriculum for job coaches, employers, and family members supporting autistic individuals and people with IDD in the workplace" www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

Development and Preliminary Efficacy Trial of DIVERSE: A Curriculum for Job Coaches, Employers, and Family Members Supporting Autistic Individuals and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabi...

Background: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including autistic individuals, face challenges in securing and maintaining competitive employment. To fill this gap, t...

www.liebertpub.com

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Reposted by Rachel VanDaalen

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · May 13

"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants.

Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."

David Malakoff @davidmalakoff.bsky.social · May 13

Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3
www.science.org/content/arti...

Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF

Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress

www.science.org

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Rachel VanDaalen @rvandaalen.bsky.social · Mar 31

Most people approved of the neurodiversity movement, though several also had critiques. The most frequently endorsed subthemes about the goals of the ND movement included acceptance, diversity framework, discussing society, and empowering the ND community through the expansion of opportunities.