The University of Southern Indiana will present the 2024 Rethinking Autism Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 25 in Carter Hall, located in University Center West. The Conference is intended for physicians, nurses, therapists, mental health professionals, community providers, students and parents. Registration is required. Early bird rates are available through World Autism Day on Tuesday, April 2.
The Conference will feature a keynote presentation, “The Autistic Experience Recounted Through the Digital Lens” by Dr. Elizabeth Torres, Head of the Sensory-Motor Integration Lab at Rutgers University. Over the past two decades, she has been at the forefront of developing biometrics to enhance understanding of autism. Her Precision Autism platform, which emphasizes early detection, has introduced standardized methodologies for categorizing autism classes based on biophysical data.
Torres’ work extends beyond research as she actively collaborates with organizations like the New York Institute for Brain Research to advance methods for longitudinally tracking early neurodevelopmental deviations using readily available and noninvasive techniques. She is committed to integrating the perspectives and needs of the autistic community into scientific endeavors.
Elizabeth Bonker, nonspeaking autistic advocate, will also present at the Conference. A recent graduate and valedictorian from Rollins College, her commencement speech went viral, receiving over four billion views. She will help attendees understand what is possible for students who are believed to be “low functioning.”
In addition, the Conference will explore the transition from a behavioral understanding of autism to a precision medicine approach, aiming to equip attendees with the tools to shift their perspective.
This Conference is made possible through generous donors to the USI Foundation. It was created in collaboration with USI Disability Resources and Optimal ACCESS, Inc.
To register, visit the 2024 Rethinking Autism Conference Eventbrite webpage.
