LAUREL (LGBTQIA+ AUTISM RESEARCH COLLECTIVE)

Ongoing LAUREL Projects

Now Recruiting: Sexual Health Education Research Study for Autistic Adolescents & Young Adults

We are seeking autistic adolescents and young adults (ages 14-22) to participate in a research study evaluating a comprehensive, evidence-informed, and theory-based sexual health education program. This program provides developmentally appropriate information on relationships, safety, and sexual health in a supportive environment. Participants will engage in 22 interactive sessions over 11 weeks, meeting twice per week, either virtually or in person. In-person sessions will be held at Ohio State University or Lincoln Memorial University. The study aims to assess the program’s impact on sexual health knowledge, relationship skills, and goal attainment while also evaluating its feasibility for broader implementation.

Why Participate?
✔ Learn about relationships, consent, and personal safety
✔ Gain essential knowledge in a structured, accessible format
✔ Contribute to research that improves sexual health education for autistic individuals
✔ Receive compensation for your time

For more information or to enroll, contact us at Elizabeth.schmidt@lmunet.edu or 708-203-1592.

Meet the Team

Photo of Lala Shanks smiling at the camera wearing a green and purple striped sweater, pink glasses, and a sunflower in their hair with an outdoor background.

Lala (she/he/they) is an autistic, biracial (Black and White), and pansexual enby. When they are not researching they work as an artivist, believing that all social justice issues are interconnected in nature and that art is an instrumental component of advocacy work.

Photo of Sage smiling at the camera wearing glasses and a dark green jacket with dinosaur bones behind them.

Sage is an advocate for neurodiversity and the LGBTQ+ community. They graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a B.A. in psychology, and focus on data collection and analysis. Sage grew up in Southeastern Massachusetts and currently lives in Boston. In their free time, they enjoy ice skating, reading, animals, and spending time with their fiancée. 

Photo of Mason smiling at the camera wearing a blue t-shirt with Marvel characters on it and glasses.

My name Is Mason Williams. He goes by He/Him/His or They/Them/Theirs. He is a full-time student at the University of Oregon and my major is Ethnic Studies with a slight possibility of a disability studies minor.

Photo of Farah smiling at the camera wearing a light brown sweater and a green scarf with yellow, orange and green leaves behind her.

Hi! I’m Farah Rexha (she/her/hers) and I’m so excited to be a research assistant for this study. I’m from Long Island, New York and I’m currently a student at Boston University majoring in human physiology on the premed track.

Photo of Leziga smiling at the camera while wearing a yellow shirt with a white scarf and a white/gray background.

My name is Leziga (she/her/hers) and I am a sophomore studying Behavior and Health at Boston University. As a person of Nigerian descent, I hope being an assistant in this research study will guide me in the process of breaking cultural barriers to better understand the LGBTQIA+ community as well as autistic people. I hope to pursue a pediatric career focused on tending to autistic children, so this research could help me build a foundation for my future!

Photo of Jess Bauzá de García smiling at the camera wearing a black top, and cat black and white houndstooth blazer, with a greige background behind them.

My name is Jess (she/her/hers) and I’m a research associate with LAUREL. I am a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist. My research interests include understanding and reducing health inequities for folks with minoritized identities, and inclusive relational and sexual health.

Photo of Liz smiling at the camera wearing a black tank top, blue blazer, and a yellow background behind her.

My name is Liz (she/her/hers) and I’m the Director of Research and Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Lincoln Memorial University. I research accessible sexuality education and am interested in improving community participation for autistic LGBTQIA+ adolescents and adults.

LAUREL Alumn

Coming soon

If you’re interested in learning more about our research, please email elizabeth.schmidt@lmunet.edu or call (708)203-1592.