APF: Psychology and Philanthropy

I am honoured to receive this prestigious grant. It reinforces my belief in my abilities and passion to pursue academia. It is a turning point in my career as a researcher and I look forward to the opportunities that it will bestow upon me.

The Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant will give me the support to conduct a series of important studies that I otherwise would not be able to conduct. This work aims to center the experiences of people living with visible physical disabilities and considers how public perceptions differ from actual experiences of people living with visible physical disabilities. I believe with the support of the Scott and Paul Pearsall grant this work will help me build the research skills, expertise, and strong empirical foundation needed for future work and grant applications aimed at large scale, low-cost interventions (e.g., implementing a broad intervention program in healthcare and/or education systems) with the goal of increasing supportive medical and social responses for people living with visible physical disabilities.

This funding will provide me with the resources to recruit a well-powered sample of Black autistic adults. Not only will this help me to complete my dissertation in a timely manner, but it will also serve as a pathway toward a career as an independent researcher studying race and autism.