Meet the Team

Photograph of Cathy standing by a river in the sunshine

Cathy is a lecturer at the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading. Her research focuses on the development of visual perception through childhood, and how perception is altered in neurodevelopmental conditions. She is also a Wellcome Trust funded researcher at Oxford University looking at how autistic children process visual information differently to children without autism. Find out more at: https://catherinemanning.weebly.com/about.html

Image of Becky looking in the camera standing by a brick wall

Becky is the Founder of Sensory Spectacle. After studying a masters looking at the autistic sensory world she began creating immersive learning environments to make better awareness of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) to society. This is how Sensory Spectacle began educating about and creating awareness of SPD. Find out more at: https://www.sensoryspectacle.co.uk/

Image of Catherine discussing text from a book with another person whose torso can be seen at the edge of the image

Catherine is a children’s Specialist Speech and Language Therapist and Research & Engagement officer in the Experimental Psychology department at the University of Oxford. She loves combining her work with a love for amateur dramatics having just completed a Masters at UCL investigating how we can use theatre to increase people’s understanding of stammering. For more information follow her at @the_communicat or https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/team/catherine-woolley

Image of @21andsensory's logo which shows a person holding up a board with the words '21 and sensory' on it

Emily has Sensory Processing Disorder (diagnosed aged 8) and is autistic (diagnosed aged 25). She is a Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Podcaster who lives and works in the UK. She enjoys discussing and drawing about her life as a sensory-being across social media at @21andsensory and https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/

Brett is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Education, Language and Psychology at York St John University. His research interests include investigating enabling environments for autistic people, through society, culture and technology. He also holds an MSc in Social and Public Communication (LSE), an MSc in English Language (University of Edinburgh) and an MA in Linguistics and Classical Studies (University of Edinburgh). Prior to joining York St John, he was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Research in Autism and Education, UCL.

Image of Jess smiling in front of a pier with the sea in the background and the wind pulling at her hair

Jess is an artist whose creative process is participatory, collaborative and inclusive with a focus on disability and neurodiversity. Jess completed her Inclusive Arts Practice MA at the University of Brighton where Jess and 8 other participants curated the Neurodiversity Museum. She is the founder of ‘Dyspraxic Me’ (a charity for dyspraxic young people), is experienced with supporting young people and works within museums. Jess was awarded a place on the Shaw Trust ‘Power 100’ 2018 list of the most influential and inspirational disabled people in Britain. Find out more about Jess’s work at: https://jstarns.com/

Image of Keren standing in front of a white background looking at the camera

Keren is an Assistant Professor in Neurodiversity at Durham University. Her research focusses on understanding the links between sensory differences and mental health in autistic people. Keren has qualitative and participatory research expertise. You can follow her on Twitter: @KerenMacLennan or find out more about her work: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/keren-maclennan/

Image of Raveen looking into the camera

Raveen is studying for a BSc in Psychology at the University of Reading. During her professional placement year she is working as a research assistant for Cathy at the University and will be involved in a range of research projects specialising in sensory processing differences in autistic children as well as the Sensory Street project.

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