In January 2020, The International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) unanimously appointed its inaugural Autistic Researchers Committee. While many autistic persons and allies have been championing research informed by autistic lives, this marks the first organized and recognized effort to directly involve autistic researchers in contributing to the course of autism research.

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Statement of Purpose

The INSAR Awards Committee is responsible for developing and awarding the portfolio of awards that reflect INSAR’s Mission & Strategic values (including the Early-Career Investigator, Dissertation, Diversity, Trainee, Autistic Researcher, Travel Awards). The Awards Committee announces and presents the awards at the Awards Ceremony at the INSAR Annual Meeting. The Awards Committee is comprised of experts from various scientific disciplines pertinent to autism research, who serve multi-year terms and operate like a grant study section to select awardees . (Of note, the Lifetime Achievement, Advocate, Fellow, Slifka/Ritvo Research, and Cultural Diversity Research awards are selected by other committees, in coordination with the Awards Committee.)

To view past awards recipients please click here.

Mark Shen (Chair)

Stephan Sanders

Alycia Halladay

Emily Jones

John-Joe Dawson-Squibb

Meng-Chuan Lai

Vanessa Hus Bal

Statement of Purpose

Responsible for publicizing events related to the INSAR Annual Meeting (formerly IMFAR) and work with a professional public relations organization.

Alison Singer (Co-Chair)

Desiree Jones (Co-Chair)

Statement of Purpose

Advises Board of Directors on strategies to insure that INSAR meetings address the needs of all stakeholders in the autism community.

James Cusack (Chair)

In recognition of the increased need for the autism field to incorporate global perspectives and issues of cultural diversity in scientific research on autism, the purpose of the INSAR Cultural Diversity Committee is to provide a forum for professional development, information sharing, and collaborative activities among researchers and clinicians interested in racial/ethnic/cultural/socioeconomic diversity in autism.

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INSAR initiated an Early Career Committee (ECC) in 2017. The purpose of the ECC is to support early career INSAR members looking for resources, mentorship, and training to build their careers and facilitate networking among early career members.

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The INSAR Fellows Committee is tasked with identifying nominees each year for the INSAR Fellow award from across disciplines, backgrounds, and geographical locations. The committee proposes these nominees to the INSAR Board of Directors for the official selection to be presented at the INSAR Annual Meeting.

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Michele Villalobos (Co-Chair)

Deborah Hilibrand (Co-Chair)

 

INSAR established a new Global Senior Leaders Committee (GSL) in 2019. The main purpose of the committee is to create a global network of senior leaders in autism research that will support the global strategic initiative of INSAR: Diverse and Global - Represent and serve a diverse and global community. The INSAR Global Senior Leaders will serve as their Country’s point of contact for the INSAR Board about issues of national or international importance relating to autism research in their country.

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Statement of Purpose

Two committees organize the logistical and program details of the INSAR Annual Meeting. The Meeting Committee works with the meeting planner on all logistics of the event and also is the coordinator of a stand alone, local community pre-conference event. The Scientific Program Committee coordinates the scientific program development.

INSAR 2026 Committee Chairs

Meeting Committee Chair

Katerina Thorova

Scientific Program Committee Chairs

Christine Nordahl (Chair)

Rosa Hoekstra (Co-Chair)

Meng-Chuan Lai (Past Chair)

Statement of Purpose

Oversight of membership application process; supports administrators with resources, professional guidance for applicants' clarifications/approval/denial, when necessary.

Carissa Cascio (Co-Chair)

Stephen Sheinkopf (Co-Chair)

Mark Stokes (Special Chair)

Manages the nomination and election process for open Board of Director positions every year.

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Statement of Purpose

The Scientific Standards Committee reports directly to the Board of Directors. The overarching responsibility is to provide advice to the BOD on matters of scientific quality for presentations at the INSAR annual meeting as well as in Autism Research, the publication vehicle of the society.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Provide guidelines to the Program Committee to promote accurate evaluation of submitted abstracts for presentations at the INSAR annual meeting.
2. Carry out a review of proposed presentations for the press conference at the annual meeting.
3. Consult on any issue that deals with scientific quality control of presentations at the annual meeting, the journal, the web site or any other public presentation sponsored by INSAR.

Committee Members

• David G. Amaral (Chair)
  
• Jonathan Green
• Helen Tager-Flusberg
• Sally Ozonoff
• Xiang Yu

This committee takes responsibility for organizing the Special Interest Group sessions at the INSAR Annual Meeting and related events throughout the year.
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The Student and Trainee Committee was established in 2009 to further the INSAR’s mission of promoting education and training in the field of autism research. The committee supports INSAR’s mission of promoting quality autism research to improve the lives of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families, and to provide the next generation of autism researchers with opportunities for education, career development, and collaboration.

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