BRAIN Lab at Notre Dame

06/11/2026

Members of the BRAIN Lab will be presenting a poster, "Examining Racial and Sex-Based Biases in Autism Assessments of Youth Ages 5–19," at the Youth Mental Health Summit on June 23rd at the St. Joseph County Public Library.

This event is free and open to the public, and we would love to see you there! Register using the link below to attend:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNITmL2Io4V7oQCWjIOCYEgSHWU0lsL9IFbnVQIWlmEM2OcA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=116120786829801650385

06/07/2026

05/12/2026

CHECK THIS OUT!! Developmental Screening Day! 💙
MAY 19th l 7AM - 7PM
Logan Center
2505 E. Jefferson Blvd.
South Bend, IN 46615

05/12/2026

Are you a sibling of someone with autism and starting your own family — or have you recently welcomed a baby? You may be eligible for ASF’s Next Gen Sibs Project, a landmark study examining autism heritability and the factors that shape autism risk. Participating families receive expert developmental evaluations, clinical feedback, and multi-year guidance. Learn more or refer a family: https://nextgensibs.org

05/04/2026

BRAIN Lab had a busy April! As a part of Autism Awareness Month, members of the BRAIN Lab tabled at the South Bend Cubs’ Autism Awareness Day game and at Golden Steps ABA’s Art for Autism event. We shared information about the work we do, along with interactive brain coloring caps and helicopters! We also helped run a science workshop at La Casa de Amistad. BRAIN Lab members, along with La Casa volunteers, demonstrated the unique properties of Oobleck, allowing participants to have a hands-on experience with science! The lab had a great time meeting with members of the South Bend community and sharing our work towards supporting the autism community. We are grateful to Horizon and the South Bend Cubs, Golden Steps ABA, and La Casa de Amistad for allowing us to participate in such amazing events!

04/16/2026

As a part of Autism Awareness Month, join the BRAIN Lab on Saturday, April 18th, in celebrating Autism Awareness Day at the South Bend Cubs’ Four Winds Field. This event was originally scheduled for April 4th, but was rescheduled to this Saturday! This is a day dedicated to celebrating Autism Awareness Month and promoting neuroinclusive environments. Members of the BRAIN Lab will be hosting a table beginning at 3:00pm through the end of the game, providing education and resources about the work we do to support the autism community.
Be sure to join us for a day full of activities, baseball, and acceptance!

04/14/2026

💙SuperSibs at Notre Dame is looking for more participants! The club's mission is to provide friendship, mentorship, and support for children in the South Bend community who have siblings with disabilities. If you would like to learn more, please click 👇 https://sites.google.com/nd.edu/supersibsnd/home

04/14/2026

Are you looking for activities to do with your child? The TREAT study at the Shaw Center for Children and Families is a paid research study for autistic and non-autistic children ages 3-5 years old. Your child will do activities like play with bubbles, watch a video of their caregiver smiling, and complete a developmental assessment with a licensed psychologist! Autistic children will additionally complete an autism assessment to confirm their diagnosis. You may request a clinical report and recommendations.
The study takes place at Notre Dame's Shaw Center (1602 N Ironwood Drive, South Bend) and pays $15 per hour. Participation includes two 2.5-hour visits for autistic children and one 2.5-hour visit for non-autistic children.
If you would like more information, you can contact us directly at 574-501-3275 or [email protected], or click the link below!
https://redcap.uits.iu.edu/surveys/?s=3TTKT38M79ET98RY

01/12/2026

Good afternoon! We are looking for a child under age 4 who has been diagnosed with autism to participate in a practice assessment with our student clinicians who are training. The assessment is the play-based ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), and our clinicians are working toward national certification.

When: Friday, Jan 23 at 1:00pm or Saturday, Jan 24 at 11:00am
Duration: 1.5 hours
Where: St. Mary’s
Compensation: $25 cash
Sibling childcare available

What is involved: We will meet you and your child in the parking lot and walk you in. The session will take place in a large room. Your child will complete the ADOS activities, with different students administering different activities such as bubbles, free play, and snack. Meanwhile, the certified trainer and the rest of the students (8 total) will observe and take notes. You will remain with your child the whole time. This is a training session, so no feedback or clinical opinion will be provided.

If interested, please call or text 574-501-3275.

01/03/2026

A great summary of the major findings in autism research in 2025!

2025 autism research advanced understanding of subtypes, genetics, s*x differences, and early intervention despite major funding cuts.