ACU Autism Inclusion Award Winners

As part of ACU Autism Awareness-Acceptance-Appreciation Week we’re recognising and celebrating our autism allies at ACU.

Our autistic students, staff and alumni have nominated ACU staff members who are make our university more inclusive and we’ve been thrilled by the number and strength of nominations.

We’re sharing the nominations of all the winners to showcase the impact they’ve made and celebrate their contribution to our more inclusive university community.

In addition to deciding the winners of the supporting students award, the judging panel were delighted by the number of nominations and have decided to also include two highly commended nominations.

A very big congratulations to the winners of our 2022 Autism Inclusion Awards.

Autism Inclusion Award for supporting our staff

Congratulations Mr Timothy Ly, Ask ACU Centres

Timothy’s nomination:

“Tim has been incredibly accommodating to my needs with how he has provided thorough, concise, and extended training since I resumed my role in June 2021.

Through all the stressors of COVID and balancing work and study at ACU, he has been incredibly patient and a clear communicator to all of us employees, both autistic and neurotypical.

Despite his busyness with the role he fills, he still finds time to clarify issues, help us whenever we’re stuck on anything, and all with a sincere kindness that helps create a positive workplace.

Team leaders like Tim make work life as an autistic person a good one.”

Congratulations Professor Daryl Higgins, Institute of Child Protection Studies

Daryl’s nomination:

“Since publicly sharing my formal diagnosis, Daryl has provided both support and an interest and willingness to learn not just about ASD but about my needs, preferences and the types of supports required/requested.

Daryl not only listened, but he also acknowledged, at the present and in the past, that the sensory issues I was/had been experiencing sounded challenging and sought to produce solutions alongside me to address these.

Daryl made useful and thoughtful suggestions regarding social interactions at work, such as different ways to let colleagues know if I was not open to socialising/small talk etc.

Daryl also worked to help address some of the noise distractions and temperature issues…. Daryl listened and understood that the processes of going into work and being at work can be exhausting and demanding in many ways and supported and encouraged me to take regular breaks/as often as required and if needed, to be able to leave campus and work from home.

Daryl regularly shares and promotes ACU autism awareness information with staff at the institute and encourages colleagues to check out the materials available.”

Autism Inclusion Award for supporting our students

Congratulations Associate Professor Mark Chou, School of Arts

Mark’s nomination:

“Mark supports autistic students wholeheartedly, in particular, students with complex communication needs and high support needs like myself with prioritising our support needs in visual learning styles and requirements for assisted typing in communication.

He is always friendly approachable, helpful and inclusive in many ways in lectures, in accessible presentations/reading for the class as well as in constructive feedback for assessment.

His commitment to helping us do our best also showed in pertinent answers to student questions via email in a highly personable manner, with various approaches in understanding the course material. I cannot recommend Mark more highly for this award.”

Congratulations Prue Corrigan, School of Allied Health

Prue’s nomination:

“I would like to nominate Prue Corrigan, as she helped me immensely in transitioning back to in-person learning this semester.

She addressed my concerns, had a meeting with me prior to semester starting, and has maintained regular contact with me.

Without her support I don't think I could have done semester 1 this year.”

Autism Inclusion Commendation for supporting our students

Congratulations Greg Baynie, Peter Faber Business School (Sydney)

Greg’s nomination:

“Greg always made me feel comfortable in his classes he would always stay back and help me with anything I was worrying about and encouraged me that everything was going to be ok.

He is an amazing lecturer and helps me a lot and is very approachable”

Congratulations Remy Andrews, Global and Education Pathways

Remy’s nomination:

“Remy helps me educationally and is very supportive. Whenever I have sessions she is very amazing, nice and helpful.

I would love Remy to know that she made my uni-life easier by being my mentor, teaching me how to schedule and time manage myself and how to adjust to uni-life.”

Thank you for your efforts in fostering an inclusive and neurodiverse university community and congratulations on becoming our very first Autism Inclusion Award winners.

Thanks also to our nominators for helping us to recognise and celebrate our autism allies.

For more information about ACU’s autism initiatives please visit Autism at ACU.