Brian A. Boyd, an expert on autism spectrum and related developmental disorders, will give the annual Goldstick Family Lecture in the Study of Communication Disorders at the University of Illinois.
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the I Hotel and Conference Center.
Boyd will speak on the topic “Advancing the Social Communication and Play of Children with Developmental Disabilities: Why Assessment Matters.”
A reception will follow the lecture.
A professor in the Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Boyd has nearly two decades of experience working with young children with ASD and other developmental disorders.
Boyd’s research has focused on the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions for these children, and understanding the impact of repetitive and sensory behaviors on their ability to participate in their classrooms, homes and communities.
The Goldstick Lecture series, sponsored by the department of special education in the College of Education, is made possible by an endowment from Phillip C. and Beverly Goldstick, which funds the Goldstick Initiative for the Study of Communication Disorders. The fall lecture and seminar series enables Illinois faculty members and students to share their research and brings a prominent scholar to the U. of I. campus every fall to speak about their work.
The endowment also supports a sustainable training and research program in communication disorders that provides fellowships to two doctoral students whose research focuses on communication disorders and delays.
For more information, contact Lisa Denson-Rives, associate director of alumni relations and stewardship in the college’s Office of Advancement, at 217-300-2752; email lkdenson@illinois.edu.