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On the effect he hopes to have on students and CSUN...

My role in the overall field of autism is not groundbreaking if one measures one’s contributions by the number of books written or publications published. I have focused my scholarly career on being highly engaged in the community, serving thousands of families to improve the quality of life of the family unit and the individual with autism. As far as students go, I have strived to do what my mentor professors did for me – they nurtured and nourished my love of learning through opportunities to participate in their projects. Not only did these projects provide valuable experience, but they supercharged my confidence and the understanding that one day I could affect change in a substantial way.

On the most exciting trends in his field, and why we should care...

One of the most exciting trends is how much we learn on a daily basis about autism. We are also seeing attitude change whereby those with autism are seen as unique individuals possessing great and unique strengths. Any time you have positive societal attitude about a group of individuals, the stigma of that group begins to dissipate. A great example is the Deaf community. They have developed a very powerful and positive group identity. I’d like to see this happen with individuals with autism and other disabilities.

"The most compelling part of my job is... collaborating with colleagues. I love it!"

On what drives or compels him to keep pushing the boundaries...

With my fancy degree and special education credentials, I remember how I struggled to understand what it meant to have a child with autism. I also remember how difficult it was for me to navigate the ‘systems’ of special education services. If I struggled, imagine how families who do not have the knowledge struggle? Pushing the boundaries means I strive to make services for families more accessible and family/child friendly. Underserved communities are especially vulnerable to being shut out of the system and their journey is the focus of my work in the community.

On what it means to be at CSUN...

CSUN means inclusiveness, diversity, and collaboration. There is a genuine cohesiveness and mutual respect among students, staff, and faculty. Working at CSUN energizes me and makes for an exciting career.

More information about Ivor Weiner