Academic bio

Alyssa’s research uses the neurodiversity paradigm and participatory methods to develop evidence-based interventions that facilitate children’s and young people’s educational inclusion and wellbeing. She is particularly interested in support for neurodivergent learners and those with additional support needs, school-based interventions, and the role of knowledge, attitudes, and stigma in inclusive practice. She is also interested more broadly in promoting community involvement in academic research, and supporting colleagues to use participatory methods.

Alyssa is new a lecturer at the School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, with a focus on research methods and short course development. Previously, Alyssa was the Research and Impact Lead for the Learning About Neurodiversity at School project (LEANS, University of Edinburgh). She is first author of the free, downloadable LEANS resource for mainstream primary schools, and led the neurodiverse team of researchers and educators who developed and evaluated it. LEANS is a comprehensive multimedia programme that introduces children aged 8-11 years to the concept of neurodiversity and its impact on school experiences. It has 10,000+ downloads worldwide since June 2022, with multiple paid, licensed translations underway or seeking funding. Alyssa’s planned future research will replicate and extend the LEANS evaluation plus directly test predicted relationships between neurodiversity teaching and pupil wellbeing, and will also adapt LEANS content for new age groups or settings.

Increasingly, Alyssa is externally recognised as a subject expert in neurodiversity and inclusive education. She sits on the advisory committee for the ConNECT project on trainee teachers’ neurodiversity knowledge (ESRC), and was recently external evaluator for the ELLeN project on language learning and neurodiversity (Erasmus+). Other recognition in 2023 included an invited talk and policy brief for the Scottish Government’s Educational Research Seminar Series, and invited presentations for the UCD Neurodiversity Masterclass series and National Autistic Society Professionals’ Conference. Alyssa is also recognised for her impact and engagement experience, particularly around teachers and schools. In 2023 she made an invited research visit to Cambridge University to lead practitioner resource development and dissemination for the Belonging in School inclusive education project, for which she was nominated for a Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Impact and Engagement Award.

Alyssa has presented her research at national and international conferences, most recently the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), British Educational Research Association (BERA), and International Society for Autism Research (INSAR). Alyssa’s research has been published in a range of venues, including Autism, Frontiers, and the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction. See a full list on Google Scholar. She has also written articles and book chapters for practitioners, and developed online and face-to-face practitioner training courses and materials.

Previously, Alyssa held research positions on interdisciplinary projects that developed and evaluated novel educational technologies for autistic learners. These included DE-ENIGMA (Horizon2020) at the Centre for Research in Autism and Education at the UCL Institute of Education, and ECHOES-II (ESRC/EPSRC) at Heriot-Watt University. Alyssa completed an interdisciplinary PhD and an MSc in cognitive science at the University of Edinburgh, both focusing on technologies for autistic children. 

Alyssa is also an experienced teacher, marker, and project supervisor for undergraduate and pstgraduate students, who has previously contributed to course development. She has delivered lectures and tutorials on topics related to development and neurodevelopmental differences, cognition, research methods (qualitative, quantitative, participatory), and AI for education. 

Past widening participation and outreach activities include Sutton Trust Summer Schools, Nuffield Future Researchers summer placements for secondary students, and the “I’m a scientist…get me out of here!” online public engagement programme.