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Understanding. Access. Inclusion. Wellbeing.

The Flinders Autism Research Initiative brings together researchers, people with lived experience, industry and government to address challenges faced by autistic people through collaborative and transdisciplinary research.

Autism is a lifelong and diverse experience that intersects with health, education, employment, housing, justice and community life.

Despite increased awareness, many autistic people continue to encounter barriers within services, systems and everyday environments, particularly during key life stages and periods of transition.

Driven by Flinders University’s commitment to driving real-world impact, Flinders Autism Research Initiative advances new ways of thinking about autism, systems and everyday environments.

Our Research Pillars

Our research pillars reflect what matters most to autistic people and their communities. They guide work that advances understanding, improves access, strengthens inclusion and supports wellbeing across everyday life.

Impact Areas

We conduct research in the contexts where autistic people's lives intersect with systems, services and institutions. These are the areas where our work creates change and where we actively seek partnerships with researchers and organisations working toward the same goals.

Healthcare

How health systems identify, assess and support autistic people across the lifespan, improving clinical practice and quality of care.

Education

Equipping schools, institutions and support systems with evidence-based approaches to inclusion.

Employment

Partnering with employers, service providers and policymakers to break down barriers autistic people face in finding, keeping and progressing in meaningful work.

Justice

Examining the vulnerabilities autistic people face when they encounter police, courts and legal processes and translating that evidence into practice that ensures justice is truly inclusive.

Our Leadership Team

Our team of researchers works in partnership with autistic people, families, communities and government to generate knowledge that informs practice, policy and lived experience.

Professor Robyn Young

Chair

Professor Young developed the early detection tools like ADEC (ACER, 2007, 2022) and SPECTRA support program. Her work spans early childhood diagnosis through to research on autism in adulthood, including barriers when interacting with the justice system. She leads FARI’s mission to translate research into practical supports.

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Associate Professor Nathan Caruana

Director

Nathan leads the HAVIC Lab, which studies how neurodiverse people interact with both human and artificial agents. His research investigates social cognition, digital interaction, and how VR and robotics can support social, emotional and literacy outcomes.

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Dr Jung Yoon

Deputy Director

Jung is a researcher at the Centre for Social Impact whose work focuses on inclusive employment for people with cognitive disabilities and autism. Her research centres on innovation, person-centred management, and social entrepreneurship aimed at promoting inclusive employment for individuals with cognitive disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

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Dr Belinda Fuss

Lived Experience Lead

Belinda brings lived experience of neurodiversity and disability to shape community-driven research. She advocates for accessibility and social inclusion, focusing on improving supports for autistic children, adults and older people facing systemic barriers.

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Dr Alliyza Lim

Engagement Lead

Alliyza's research focuses on improving outcomes for autistic individuals and their families. She is interested in the early detection of autism in childhood, understanding the relationship between autism and trauma, and supporting autistic individuals in the criminal justice system. Alliyza is also a clinical psychologist and autism diagnostician, and regularly works with autistic children, adolescents, and adults in a clinical setting.

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Work with us

The Flinders Autism Research Initiative welcomes collaboration across academia, industry, community and government. We invite autistic people, families and researchers to work with us to shape projects that reflects real-world priorities and lived experience.

Whether you’re interested in developing new research, sharing lived experience, or taking part in studies, we encourage you to connect with us.

Community of Practice

As part of our commitment to research excellence, we hold four annual meetings with a diverse group of people working in research relevant to autistic people. These meetings focus on a significant challenge relevant to autism research, raised by a member of the group. The challenge is outlined and discussed before solutions and advice are offered. Members are encouraged to form relationships as a community and exchange support, advice and resources. If you perform research in an area that influences autistic people – including Higher Degree by Research students – we invite you to contact us and look forward to seeing you soon.

Our Partnership with the Lab for Human, Artificial and Virtual Interactive Cognition

The HAVIC Lab is a founding partner of the Flinders Autism Research Initiative. The lab investigates how people engage with human and technological environments, using virtual reality, social robotics and emerging tools to examine cognitive and social processes. This work informs new approaches to interaction, support and inclusion.

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News and updates

Keep up-to-date with the latest news and updates from the Austism Research Initative

Stay connected with FARI

Our quarterly newsletter shares updates on research, emerging collaborations, community engagement and opportunities to get involved. It’s a way to stay informed about how FARI is contributing to improved understanding, access, inclusion and wellbeing across autistic lives.