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Council on Research and Evaluation (CORE)

 

Purpose

Download this one page flyer about CORE to print or share.     

The CORE serves as a focus for the identification and discussion of issues regarding research and evaluation; serves as a representative voice of the research and evaluation activities within the AUCD Network; and influences the development and implementation of initiatives relevant to achieving and sustaining appropriate research and evaluation activities to guide the development of national policies.

 
 

How CORE Relates to AUCD and Its Work

The CORE fulfills its purpose and the mission of AUCD and its constituent membership by serving as a conduit for technical assistance, providing input into policy, and engaging in other support activities deemed necessary to advance the mandate for research and evaluation. The Council helps the association to:

  • Set and accomplish its research goals specified in the AUCD Strategic Map.
  • Carry out training activities to inform network members on important and emerging research and evaluation topics.
  • Develop the research capacity of each network member to conduct quality research and sound evaluation activities.
  • Identify topics of common interests to network members and develop recommendations to the AUCD Board.
  • Lead the Network in involving people with disabilities and their family members to participate in research and evaluation activities.

 
 

Membership

The Council on Research and Evaluation, known as CORE, is made up of individuals whose work is related to or who is interested in research and evaluation. CORE members are from each Center and program across the AUCD network. Membership is open to anyone in the AUCD network who chooses to join the CORE by selecting the CORE in their AUCD Directory. Each network member can also designate an individual representative who will cast one vote when a matter before the Council requires such an action. Members of the CORE are expected to attend the membership meeting during AUCD Annual Conferences and quarterly conference calls.

 
 

2018 Focus Areas

The 2018 CORE annual plan includes:

  • Involving individuals with disabilities as researchers in research teams by developing recommendations for working with university IRBs, by sponsoring a Driving Change session on this topic during the 2018 AUCD Conference, and by editing a book focusing on participatory research.
  • Providing training to Network members on how to evaluate the UCEDD core grants.
  • Develop recommendations to the Network on accessible methods of data visualization for people with disabilities.
 
 

CORE Leadership

Chair: Rodney Samaco, Ph.D.

Email: rodney.samaco at bcm.edu

Vice Chair: Vanessa Hiratsuka, Ph.D.

Email: vanessah at alaskachd.org

Secretary: Katey Burke, Ph.D.

Email: kburke at temple.edu

Trainee Rep: Conner Black

Email: connerjb at email.sc.edu

 

AUCD Liaison: Dana Kim, emaildkim at aucd dot org

 
 

Upcoming Events of Interest to CORE Members

Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities 2023 Summer Learning Series  Copy to Calendar
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 - Thursday, July 20, 2023

AIR-P Presents: Genomics for the well-being of autistic people: challenges and recommendations  Copy to Calendar
Tuesday, June 20, 2023

AIR-P Research Day at Autism CARES 2023  Copy to Calendar
Tuesday, July 11, 2023

More Events >

 
 

NEW on the CORE
Web Pages

 

5/25/2023

AIR-P Launches New Academic Channel in Cureus

The Autism and Health: Across the Lifespan Channel (Autism and Health Channel) was founded in 2023 to promote research to increase the life expectancy and quality of life of autistic individuals. With broad support from national collaborative research entities, the goal of this academic channel is to serve as a forum to disseminate scientific articles which contribute to the evidence base of health promotion for autistic individuals and their families across the lifespan.

 
 
Cover page for the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

5/25/2023

Perspectives on the Implementation of Pre-ETS Services: Identification of barriers and facilitators to early career planning for youth with disabilities

There are differences between and within states in the delivery of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with significant disabilities early in their career planning process. This complicates the delivery of services for these youth with disabilities (YWD) and leaves gaps in communication between families, educators, and vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors.

 
 
Cover page of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

5/25/2023

Researchers Call for Systemic Changes to Improve Career Prospects of Young People with Disabilities

A deeper level and different kind of coordination, collaboration, and cooperation are needed to narrow the gap in employment opportunities between youth and young adults with and without disabilities. Experts present strategies to challenge the status quo that young people with disabilities face in the transition from school to employment in a special issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.

 
 
L-R Laury Scheidler, MSW and Audrey Wood, CCC-SLP

5/18/2023

Iowa Recognizes the 2023 Healy Award Winners

Each year, the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), Iowa's UCEDD, recognizes trainees from the Iowa LEND program with the Alfred Healy Leadership Award in Developmental Disabilities. The award is intended to nurture in the recipients a life-long commitment to leadership in developmental disabilities to carry on Dr. Healy's legacy for future generations. Dr. Healy's long-term leadership is still felt in the CDD clinics, the UCEDD and the Iowa LEND program. The Healy Award is intended to facilitate additional leadership development activities. This year's award winners are Laury Scheidler and Audrey Wood.

 
 

5/17/2023

A Qualitative Investigation on COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Neurodivergent Communities

Over the course of 2 years, the student led group, Neurodiversity Health Chats at UCLA has published their explorative work on vaccine hesitancy in the neurodivergent community!

 
 
A toddler-aged white boy with Down syndrome looks to the camera. He has straight brown hair, green eyes, and a red T-shirt.

5/17/2023

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN IDDRC, UCEDD, LEND) Member Works to Improve Sleep Assessment in Down Syndrome Research

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) member Sarika Peters, Ph.D., received a VKC Director's Strategic Priorities Grant to determine the feasibility of use of a wearable sensor to assess sleep in children (ages 4-10 years) with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is estimated to occur in 1 out of 700 babies and is associated with many co-occurring conditions including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA impacts between 50-79 percent of individuals with Down syndrome and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for OSA in children with Down syndrome starting at age 4.

 
 

5/16/2023

Aggie ACHIEVE Ring Day

On Friday, April 14 the seven juniors and four seniors from the Aggie ACHIEVE program received the first-ever Aggie ACHIEVE Rings in a ceremony at the Rec center at Texas A&M. The ACHIEVE Ring represents the students' dedication to excellence in their 4 year certificate program of Interdisciplinary Studies. We are so proud of each student's accomplishments!

 
 

5/15/2023

Autism and the Dysregulated Arousal System

By Rebecca Grzadzinski, Kattia Mata, and Jose Rodriguez-Romaguera, The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities - UNC IDDRC

How do babies learn to be social? Babies are born into the world with so much to learn, from basic body movements to complex communication and interaction skills. Philosopher John Locke believed that babies are born into the world as "blank slates" (tabula rasas)-everything to learn will be gained from their environment and experience1. Indeed, environment and experience are critical for learning-studies on enriched environments highlight this. However, research continues to highlight the influence of inherent characteristics, underlying neurobiology and genetics on how and what we learn or know. Researchers aim to understand what and how we learn by studying the dynamic interplay between inherent biological traits, physiological states, and the environment.

 
 

5/3/2023

EDI-Self-Report (EDI-SR) Survey

The purpose of this new research study is to create a questionnaire known as the EDI-Self-Report (EDI-SR). This project is funded by the Eunice Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). The EDI-SR was designed to measure emotional experiences in autistic teens and adults and teens and adults with other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This study is enrolling individuals ages 11 and older who are autistic or have an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) and their parents/caregivers, as well as individuals without these diagnoses. Individuals must be current United States residents to participate.

 

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