Danny Dunn is a first year psychology PhD student at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). They also received their bachelor’s degree in psychology from UTD, and received a master’s in psychological sciences from Texas Woman’s University. They also worked at Fort Behavioral’s Camp Worth unit, a residential facility for adolescents on the autism spectrum with co-occurring psychiatric complications. Their research interests focus on interventions to improve interaction quality between autistic and non-autistic individuals, with a focus on improving interactions in healthcare, education, and other institutional settings. They are an autistic student and have been a member of the For Autistic Empowerment student organization since 2017, serving in a leadership role while enrolled at UTD.

Sarah is a secondyear psychology PhD student at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Sarah’s research focuses on perceptions of autism formed by social partners. She is interested in how perceptions and context impact interactions. She is the lead research assistant at UTD for the Diversity in Social Intelligence study, a multisite replication study exploring how autistic and non-autistic adults learn from one another. Sarah graduated from Salem State University in 2018 with a BS in psychology, and in 2022, she graduated from Tufts University with an MA in human development and child studies. Prior to joining the lab, Sarah researched racial disparities in healthcare environments. She also worked as a research assistant in Boston Medical Center’s Autism Program where she examined the healthcare and social experiences of autistic adolescents and young adults in the Greater Boston area.
Email: sarah.foster@utdallas.edu

Rachel is a second-year master’s student in the psychological sciences program at UT Dallas. She started in Dr. Sasson’s lab last year, working on the replication of the University of Edinburgh’s Diversity in Social Intelligence study. She graduated from UT Dallas in 2020, where she studied psychology. She currently works in providing therapy for autistic adults. Rachel plans to get a PhD in social psychology and to continue working with autistic adults, as well as continue to research social cognition in autism.

Rakshak Ravichandran is currently a junior majoring in neuroscience. Rakshak learned about Dr. Sasson’s research while taking his Introduction to Psychology class, and became fascinated with the concept of Double Empathy. He is excited to learn more about interactions involving autistic people to better understand how to create a more accepting environment for autistic individuals.

Manuel Jagan is a senior neuroscience major planning on obtaining an MD afterward and working as a Psychiatrist or Neurologist doing research that serves the community. During his time at the Social Cognition and Interaction in Autism Lab, he hopes to learn how to best address social issues faced by autistic individuals and how to improve outcomes for children and adolescents with ASD most effectively. He also is excited to learn more about the interactions between autism and other factors, such as race or gender, on social perception, and how to serve members of those respective communities best.

Emily Stern is currently in her senior year, majoring in psychology. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. As a child of an autistic parent, she observed some of the personal and professional social barriers that can exist for those with ASD. During her time in the lab, she would like to gain a greater understanding of the factors impacting the quality of social experiences for autistic individuals. Through this knowledge it is her hope to advocate for increased access and awareness in clinical settings.

Marley Richter recently graduated from UTD with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and child learning and development. She is passionate about creating equitable and affirming spaces for autistic people through a social model of disability. During her gap year, she would like to continue to work with autistic teens and adults as well as develop skills in a research setting. She plans to pursue a career in school psychology with a focus in neurodivergent advocacy.

Kilee DeBrabander graduated from UTD’s cognition and neuroscience PhD program in spring of 2022. After completing her dissertation on perceptions, meta-perceptions, and cognitive estimations of autistic adults across personal and professional contexts, Kilee began working as a clinical trial manager researching medical therapeutics.