To address high unemployment among neurodiverse populations, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) have partnered with the non-profit, Islands of Brilliance (IOB), to create the Autism Brilliance Lab for Entrepreneurship (ABLE).
We are examining how creativity in art and design serves as a vehicle for preparing populations on the spectrum for the workforce, and preparing neurotypical work environments for people living with autism. Our long-term goal is to become an international hub for studying, modeling, publishing, programming, developing and scaling models of creative innovation and entrepreneurship, onboarding, job placement, and universally-designed work environments, specifically for people living with autism across fields of art, design, and production.
What role might arts-based education, specifically training with design and technology, play in amplifying the employability – and beliefs about employability – of neurodiverse youth, in both arts and non-arts based sectors among a) neurodiverse youth; b) their parents/guardians; and c) employers?
What larger roles do arts and cultural assets play in promoting civic innovation and entrepreneurial efforts in and around neurodiverse communities?
Executive Director,
Dr. Nathaniel Stern
Research Director,
Dr. Celeste Campos-Castillo
Director of Content,
Mark Fairbanks
Director of Learning & Outcomes, Dr. Kate Siekman
Assistant Professor,
Dr. Jeana M. Holt
Pilot Project / Keystone Study
Evidence of success from IOB’s programming has thus far been anecdotal or based on informal, internal surveys, as well as represented by their growth. ABLE’s keystone study will provide empirical evidence of what is successful and how, and feed back into future projects and workshops, all towards our goals of facilitating and enabling sustainable job growth for neurodiverse populations.
We are currently capturing and transcribing important events and relationships within and adjacent to IOB’s in-person, week-long workshops to conduct our research. Future research studies will include virtual workshops, one-day workshops, longevity studies, and community building based on locale, campus, or workplaces.
Press
Islands of Brilliance finds 'their way into' worlds of students with autism by embracing the things they're passionate about
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
Islands of Brilliance offers learning experiences for neurodiverse students and their families
Source: madison.com
Sandbox Summer Camp Comes Back to Duluth
Source: Fox21 Duluth
Social Media
Technical Working Group
Dr. Miriam Lense
Assistant Professor Otolaryngology
Director, Music Cognition Lab
https://www.vumc.org/music-cognition-lab/person/miriam-lense-phd
Dr. Kimberly Sheridan (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology
Affiliations: Art Education, Learning Technologies, Research Methods
https://cehd.gmu.edu/people/faculty/ksherida/
Dr Abigail L. Phillips, MLIS, SLIS, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Inofmration Studies
https://uwm.edu/informationstudies/people/phillips-abigail-1/
Shared spot from:
Erica Halverson
Professor of Curriculum and Instruction
UW-Madison
https://www.ericahalverson.com/
Dr Yorel Lashley
Director of Programs for PLACE
Director of Student Empowerment for the Center for Arts Education and Social and Emotional Learning
https://place.education.wisc.edu/blog/people/lashley-yorel/
Dr. Nathaniel Stern
Professor of Art and Design / Mechanical Engineering
Director, UWM Startup Challenge
Executive Director and PI, Autism Brilliance Lab for Entrepreneurship
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
http://nathanielstern.com
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