Recapping the 2026 Annual Research Symposium!

On March 6th, 2026, the Bay Area Autism Consortium (BAAC) hosted its 2026 Annual Research Symposium at the Soda Center at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga! This year's theme is "Autism, Education, and Learning: Searching for Common Ground from Basic to Applied Research." This year's symposium had around 100 attendees, including researchers, community members, and trainees from all over the Bay Area, with 24 posters presented, 5 oral presentations, and panel discussion to bridge research with practice.

The day began with opening remarks from Dr. Lawrence Fung, setting the tone for a symposium centered on connection, innovation, and translation from research to real-world impact.

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Peter Mundy (UC Davis), delivered a compelling talk on joint attention and its role in learning and development in autism. Drawing from decades of research, Dr. Mundy highlighted the important ways joint attention shapes cognitive functions and affects learning and cognition.

Throughout the morning, faculty speakers expanded on this theme from multiple perspectives.

Dr. Betty Yu (SFSU) invited us to reconsider how we think about language, framing it not as a fixed system, but as a dynamic, culturally embedded practice shaped by identity and environment.

Dr. Aubyn Stahmer (UC Davis) emphasized the importance of implementation through her work in CBPR, reminding us that evidence-based interventions only matter if they can be meaningfully adopted in real-world settings, together with community partnership and leadership support.

Dr. Loren Frank (UCSF) brought us into the world of neural circuits and basic science, illustrating how studying brain mechanisms in rats can deepen our understanding of behavior and the brain, open new pathways for future translational research.

At noon, students and trainees of all levels presented their posters during our poster sessions. Symposium attendees checked out the 24 posters on display, enjoyed lunch, and a panel of faculty judges scored presenters to select two best poster awards this year. Congratulations to the two best posters: Flora Jin: "Neurobiological Correlates of Facial and Vocal Affect Recognition in Autism Spectrum Disorder" and Sasha Balasingam: "Evolution of a FMR1 mutation in Mexican Cavefish: an emerging new model system to understand Autism Spectrum Disorder."

In the afternoon, the spotlight turned to the next generation of researchers. We heard oral presentations from:

• Luke Grosvenor (Kaiser Permanente)

• Taylor Odom (Saint Mary’s College)

• Varun Suresh (UCSF)

• Maggie Zheng (UC Davis)

• Johanna Vega Garcia (UC Davis)

The day continued with a community panel that brought together students, educators, and clinicians, highlighting perspectives that extend beyond academia. Thank you to our incredible panelists who shared their perspectives and experiences to guide the future of autism research:

• Peter Alter (BCBA, Director of Special Education, Saint Mary’s College)

• Erin Burnett (Student, UC Davis)

• Marissa Loudon (Teacher, Saint Mary’s College)

• Whitney Ence (Clinical Psychologist, UCSF)

These conversations grounded the research in real-world contexts, reminding us that progress in autism research must always remain connected to the communities it serves.

Events like the BAAC Annual Research Symposium are only possible through the strength of our community, especially supporter like YOU!

We extend our sincere gratitude to our 2026 sponsors, including the Kalmanovitz School of Education at Saint Mary’s College and Dr. Uli Chettipally of Sirica Therapeutics, for making this gathering possible. Your support directly creates opportunities for trainees, fosters collaboration across institutions, and helps move autism research toward more inclusive and impactful futures.

We are grateful to everyone who joined us—and we look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead!