Sandra Thom-Jones

Professor Sandra Thom-Jones is an autistic author, academic, advocate and artisan. Sandra has undertaken numerous research projects­ in partnership with the autistic community on the experiences of autistic people and the knowledge and attitudes towards autism in the community, including research that won the Autism CRC's 2019 and 2021 awards for research translation, and 2022 award for inclusive research. Her research includes a 12-month reflection study on the experiences of more than thirty autistic academics from around the world. In 2018 she established ACU's Autism Inclusion Program, which aims to improve the attraction, retention and positive outcomes of autistic people in higher education. She is a passionate advocate for the inclusion of autistic people in all aspects of society.