Employee Directory

Lauren Baczewski Director of Neurodiversity Research and Education
Neurodiversity Center

Dr. Lauren Baczewski, Ph.D. (she/her) is the Director of Neurodiversity Research & Education in the Neurodiversity Center for Excellence at Curry College.

Prior to her time at Curry, Dr. Baczewski was awarded a T32 Research Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Research at Children’s National Hospital. There, she conducted research and received clinical training in the Center for Autism and the Gender and Autism Program. She received her doctorate in Human Development & Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and holds Master's degrees in Education and Child Development from UCLA and Tufts University, respectively.

Lauren's research centers on the mental health and wellbeing of autistic and neurodivergent people, with a particular focus on those who hold additional marginalized identities (e.g., LGBTQ+). She partners with community members to co-create research studies that elevate community voices and priorities. Her work has been supported by competitive grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Lauren loves to teach and mentor students, and is passionate about increasing access to higher education for neurodivergent and disabled people.

Selected Publications:

Baczewski, L., Gohari, D., Ranon Nachman, B., Caplan, R., Taylor, R., McDonald, M., Rodriguez, K., Sharp, K., Smith, M., Vu, A., & Massolo, M. (2025). “They Didn’t Believe Me”: Barriers to Mental Healthcare for Autistic LGBTQ+ Young Adults- A Community-partnered Study. Autism in Adulthood.

Baczewski, L., Campos, L., Lee, J., Wu Nordahl, C., van der Miesen, A., McClellan, L., Parwani, S., Tishelman, A., Song, M., & Strang, J.F. (2025). Gender Identity and Gender-Related Outcomes of Autistic Young Adults who Experienced Transgender Identity as Adolescents. Transgender Health, Special Issue: Health Outcomes of Gender-Affirming Care Among Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth.

Kim, S., Baczewski, L., Pizzano, M., Kasari, C., & Sturm, A. (2022). Discrimination and Harassment Experiences of Autistic College Students and Their Non-Autistic Peers: Risk and Protective Factors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-14.

Baczewski, L., Pizzano, M., Kasari, C., & Sturm, A. (2022). Adjustment Across the First College Year: A Matched Comparison of Autistic, ADHD, & Neurotypical Students. Autism in Adulthood, doi: 10.1089/aut.2021.0012.