The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. research team is led by Dr. Narmene Hamsho and based within the School of Psychology and Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Our team includes student research assistants at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels of training. Together we work closely with community partners from around the world to identify the supports needed to improve the schooling experiences of neurodivergent youth and their families. Our work centers on autism and reflects cross-institutional and international partnerships among researchers from various higher education institutions and community organizations. We have most recently taken a specific focus on communities located within Central Asia and the Middle East, an often overlooked region of the world in terms of autism-focused research. 

Much of what is currently known about autism is derived from research conducted by and with individuals who are based in countries that conform to Western culture (e.g., The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, etc.). Applying this research to children, their families, and practitioners in certain parts of the world is impossible when considering that this Western-based research overlooks important cultural factors that shape beliefs about autism. This is most obvious when recognizing the different ways communities around the world define, diagnose, and recognize autism. The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. research team conducts global research to identify and implement culturally responsive practices to support the schooling experiences of neurodivergent children and their families.