September 8, 2025 | Office of Undergraduate Research

Autism Intervention Research

Lead Investigator: Deborah Schneider (deborah.schneider-richardson@uconn.edu), Department of Psychological Sciences
Project: Systematic Review of Neural and Behavioral Changes Following Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Credits: 1-2 credit hours (3-6 hours/week commitment)

Opportunity Description

Project Overview: This systematic review synthesizes neuroimaging studies to understand the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying intervention effectiveness. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience with systematic review methodology while contributing to research that could improve interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

What You’ll Learn
• Research methodology: Systematic review processes following PRISMA guidelines
• Data extraction and synthesis: Deep understanding of peer-reviewed neuroimaging and behavioral studies
• Critical analysis: Evaluating research quality and synthesizing data across studies
• Scientific writing: Contributing to manuscript preparation
• Collaboration: Working as part of a research team

Responsibilities
• Extract and code data from research articles that have already been screened
• Participate in weekly online team meetings
• Maintain detailed records using structured data collection forms
• Assist with data synthesis and quality assessment of included studies

Recognition Opportunities: Research assistants who demonstrate sustained commitment and make meaningful contributions will be eligible for:
• Acknowledgment in the published manuscript
• Potential co-authorship based on level of contribution
• Recommendation letters for graduate school or future research opportunities

Time Commitment
• 2-5 hours per week of research work
• 1 hour per week online team meeting
• Flexible scheduling around your academic commitments

Student Qualifications
What We’re Looking For
• Highly motivated students committed to seeing the project through completion
• Interest in autism research, neuroimaging, or intervention studies
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently while contributing to team goals
• Reliable attendance at weekly meetings

How to Apply
To Apply: Contact Dr. Deborah Schneider (deborah.schneider@uconn.edu) with:
• Brief statement of interest
• Current CV or resume
• Availability for weekly meetings

Mentor: Deborah Schneider, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department: Psychological Sciences
Email: deborah.schneider@uconn.edu
Timing: Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Ongoing
Campus: Storrs

Opportunity Description

The REINVENT-PT lab (REhabilitation INnoVations & Emerging Novel Technologies in Physical Therapy, PI: Dr. Sudha Srinivasan) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) is interested in understanding developmental trajectories of individuals with developmental disabilities including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, etc. across the lifespan.
The REINVENT-PT lab is interested in understanding developmental trajectories of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, and Intellectual Disability across the lifespan. We are interested in studying how infants and children with developmental disabilities explore their physical and social environment compared to typically developing peers and the cascading effects of motor difficulties on a child’s social communication and cognitive development. We are also interested in assessing health-related outcomes in adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities, including their physical activity and physical fitness levels. Based on our understanding of the developmental trajectories of individuals with disabilities, our goal is to develop multi-system, engaging, evidence-based, behavioral interventions and assistive technologies to empower the lives of people with disabilities.

At present, the lab has 1 federally funded (funded through the National Institutes of Health) research project: a randomized control trial exploring the feasibility and efficacy of a novel upper extremity home-based training program using ride-on toys and navigational games to improve upper extremity function and spontaneous use in children with hemiplegia. Specifically, we are interested in comparing our novel ride-on toy intervention (called SPEED training) with a program based on conventional occupational therapy involving seated arts and craft activities (called CRAFT program).

Student Qualifications
We are looking for passionate, energetic, and empathetic undergraduate students interested in working on projects involving infants, children, and adults with disabilities. Students can pursue research at the lab for credit, for work study, and with the potential of converting a subset of the research into an honors Thesis. Students are required to commit to pursuing research in the lab for at least 2-3 semesters for the experience to be meaningful for students. Students are required to complete CITI training given that our research is with human subjects (details will be provided by the study PI).

How to Apply
Students from diverse backgrounds including but not limited to psychology, physiology and neurobiology, biology, exercise science, communication sciences, allied health, and education are encouraged to contact Dr. Sudha Srinivasan at sudha.srinivasan@uconn.edu. Please attach your CV/Resume and your unofficial transcript to your email.

Mentor: Dr. Sudha Srinivasan, Assistant Professor
Department: Kinesiology
Email: sudha.srinivasan@uconn.edu
Timing: Summer 2025, Ongoing
Campus: Storrs