This chapter is divided into two sections. The first explains fundamental concepts in human genetics. Accounts of genetic findings involve concepts which can prove challenging. Terminology may be unfamiliar and some words have specialised meanings and may not always be used consistently. The first part aims to provide an overview of the key concepts. The subject matter is intrinsically dense and can be hard to take in, so the reader may wish to skim parts of this section and then refer back to it when necessary.

The second part shows how these concepts relate to a range of neuropsychiatric conditions. Before considering individual conditions, it is worth presenting some general principles which characterise the relationship between genetic variation and human disease, in particular in relationship to neuropsychiatric conditions. Modern research has impacted on how we think about this relationship, and so current accounts are somewhat different from what one finds in older sources.

What next for autistics in the academy? In this chapter participants reflect on their career aspirations: the roles they aspire to and their expectations as to whether they will achieve their career goals. For those goals that seem out of reach, this chapter tries to answer the question of whether the barriers are intrinsic to being autistic or are systemic and structural.

This chapter explores the experience of receiving a diagnosis (or reaching a point of self-diagnosis) and how this diagnosis impacted the participants and their self-identity. It examines the extent to which they have developed (or are developing) a positive autistic identity, and the terminology they use to describe themselves and their diagnosis.

In this chapter participants reflect on the steps that senior academics and academic institutions could do to better support early career autistic academics. They also reflect candidly on the things that non-autistic colleagues and friends could do to make them feel more comfortable in both work and social settings.

This chapter describes the thirty-seven autistic academics who share their stories in this book. In a different world they would be introduced to the reader by name, with their unique personalities, interests, and gifts described. However, we live in a world where autism is still very much stigmatised and where disclosure comes with significant risks to career progression and social inclusion. Thus, many of the participants have asked to remain anonymous, and their combined stories are shared in a way that gives the reader a sense of their diversity while maintaining their anonymity.

The academic stereotype of the absent-minded professor who is valued for their in-depth subject knowledge and whose quirks and eccentricities are accepted by their peers is as faulty as the stereotype of the autistic as a white, adolescent, male maths wizard. Today’s academics are expected to teach, research, and engage in administrative and other activities. In this chapter thirty-two of the participants provide advice to autistic people considering a career in academia. They emphasise the importance of knowing what the role entails, both its strengths and its challenges; finding the right people to work with and to seek counsel from; knowing (and valuing) yourself; developing resilience; maintaining your well-being; and following your passion.

The field of autism research is moving from its troubled history of research on autistic people to research with autistic people. This recognition of the need for research both with and by autistic people means there is also a need to understand the extent to which autism conferences include or exclude the voices of autistic people. In this chapter, participants reflect on their experiences in attending conferences as recipients of knowledge, active participants in the conversation, and conveyors of information. Topics discussed include sensory issues, conference organisation, social interaction and networking, in-session interaction, in-session information, inclusion, and online conferences.

This chapter explores both the literal and figurative answers to the question of how the participants became autistic academics. From the literal standpoint, this includes pragmatic aspects such as the courses they studied and career pathways they followed, as well as the obstacles and successes they experienced in applying for positions in academia. From the figurative standpoint, it focuses on how and why they chose their particular disciplines and areas of research.

While the concept of reasonable adjustments is well-established in academia, and it is enshrined in university policy that we must support the provision of these adjustments for our students, autistic employees may not always feel empowered to ask for necessary adjustments to thrive in an academic workplace. In this chapter participants reflect on the process of requesting and receiving adjustments, including those that have been denied and those that they wish they could ask for.

This chapter explores the bi-directional challenges of autistics in the academy. Many of the challenges experienced by autistic people in academia are similar to those experienced in other aspects of our lives – dealing with sensory challenges, different processing styles, social interaction, and communication. Other challenges that are inherent to academia include the breadth of activity, the performance and competitive aspects of the role, and complicated institutional politics.

In academia, as in any profession, one of the toughest decisions facing an autistic person is whether and when to disclose their diagnosis. On the one hand, disclosure can bring awareness, understanding, and support. On the other, it can bring misunderstanding, stigma, and discrimination. In this chapter participants reflect on their decisions to disclose (or not to disclose) to employers, colleagues, staff, and students – and the impacts of these decisions. This chapter also addresses the issue of masking (hiding their autistic characteristics), including when and why participants feel the need to mask and the impact this has on them.

This chapter explores the bi-directional strengths of autistics in the academy: the strengths that autistic people bring to their role, and the strengths of the university environment as a workplace for academics. Key strengths of autistic people that are beneficial in academic roles include focused interests, attention to detail, pragmatism, and many other aspects that may not be evident in common stereotypes of autism. Strengths of the academic environment as an autistic workplace include the cerebral nature of the role, structured interactions, and the value placed on in-depth knowledge. Combined, these bi-directional strengths are expanded on in the context of the resulting capacity for autistic people in academia to learn, teach, work, help, and connect.

The journey to a career in academia commences with university studies. Autistic people continue to be under-represented in university enrolments, and even more under-represented in university graduations. In this chapter participants reflect on their university experience, including the transition to university. Topics discussed include interactions with peers, teaching staff, and administration; supports that were, or could have been, provided; and recommendations for improving the university experience for future autistic students.

The social environment and our social experiences provide a rich source for social theories about the behavior of others. Important prerequisites are social knowledge about who people are on an individual and group level and the ability to attribute the behavior of others to their mental states, often called mind reading, mentalizing, or theory of mind.