About Us
At Autism Equity Lab, our dedication is to exploring equity and opportunity pathways for autistic individuals, emphasizing their journey into postsecondary education. While we initiate with an emphasis on STEM, our vision broadens to include the vast terrains of race, ethnicity, language, and gender. Our research endeavors to spotlight, comprehend, and champion the diverse strengths and potentials of autistic students, particularly in their academic pursuits. We aspire to foster an educational environment where every autistic individual, regardless of their background, is acknowledged, valued, and empowered to thrive.
Research Team
Hyejung Kim
Hyejung Kim is an assistant professor at Binghamton University. Her work focuses on the intersectionality of autism with various dimensions of diversity such as race, ethnicity, and linguistic backgrounds. Her current research focuses on exploring STEM educational pathways that are tailored to the distinct abilities of adolescents on the autism spectrum.
Mack Ottens
Mack Ottens, MPA is a doctoral student in the Community Research & Action program at Binghamton University. His research interests revolve around students with disabilities in higher education. He has contributed to research projects on gender-inclusive housing on college campuses, supportive environment scores for students with various disabilities, and a systematic review of the literature on autism and STEM education.
Matthew Jacob
Jessica Reinartz
Jessica Reinartz is a current Ph.D. student at Binghamton University. She has previously presented research at both the Couper Lecture and the Disability Research Symposium at Binghamton University. Currently, her attention is directed towards discovering ways to increase access to early intervention by looking at individual barriers, as well as analyzing the interconnectedness of early intervention barriers using the lens of the Cultural Historical Activity Theory.
Emma Fairweather
Emma Fairweather has recently graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Education. Throughout her undergraduate education, she conducted research regarding the racial disparities that exist in both the intervention and diagnostic services for children with autism. Beginning in September 2023, she plans to pursue a M.A. in Special Education at Hunter College. Currently, her main areas of focus surround the current achievement gap that exists in the United States, as well as how special education services are impacted by racial and socioeconomic disparities.