Autism Science Foundation Marks 5th Anniversary with a Day of Learning and Evening of Celebration

AUTISM SCIENCE FOUNDATION MARKS 5TH ANNIVERSARY with a DAY OF LEARNING & EVENING OF CELEBRATION

Day of Learning will feature the Autism Community’s First TED-Style Scientific Conference

(October 21, 2013—New York, NY) Today the Autism Science Foundation announced plans to celebrate the organization’s fifth anniversary with a full day of events at the Yale Club of New York City on April 10, 2014.

On the afternoon of April 10, ASF will host a festive luncheon, followed by the autism community’s first TED-style conference, featuring talks from NIMH Director Dr. Thomas Insel, Dr. David Amaral, Dr. Joseph Buxbaum, Dr. David Mandell, Dr. Paul Offit, Dr. Matt State, and other prominent scientists, as well as individuals with autism, including Paul Morris, an adult on the autism spectrum. These TED-style talks will be thoughtful, 15-minute distillations of critical issues in autism. “This event, geared toward all stakeholders, will be our gift back to the autism community,” said Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation. “Our speakers will focus on the real issues facing families, such as gender differences in diagnosis and treatment, the value of genetics testing, the effectiveness of school-based interventions, and the challenges of finding meaningful employment.”

The highlight of ASF’s anniversary celebration will be its Fifth Anniversary Gala in the evening of April 10, during which the foundation will honor two leaders in autism science: Dr. Gerald Fischbach, Chief Science Officer of the Simons Foundation, and Dr. Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and author of Autism’s False Prophets. Dr. Richard Besser, Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News, will serve as emcee for the evening, which will feature a cocktail reception and dinner, as well as a silent auction and entertainment by teens and adults with autism, including singer Izzie Piwnicki and pianist Josh Frelich.

Proceeds from the day’s events will benefit ASF’s pre- and postdoctoral fellowship programs, which support early career research conducted by the nation’s most promising young autism scientists. For more information about the event, click here.

Registration is now available! To become a sponsor, to register, or to join the benefit committee, please click here.

Availablity is limited, so register today!

With any questions, please contact Casey Gold at 212-391-3913 or cgold@AutismScienceFoundation.org.

The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Its mission is to support autism research by providing funding to scientists and organizations conducting autism research. ASF also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism.

To learn more about the Autism Science Foundation’s programs visit www.autismsciencefoundation.org