Emine Gurbuz

Dr Emine Gurbuz (she/her) is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Portsmouth and member of Centre for Interaction, Development, and Diversity research group. Her research focuses on improving the experiences and wellbeing of autistic students in higher education, with a particular interest in social inclusion, stigma, mental health, and support needs. Emine uses community-based participatory research approach and currently leads the University Project, which explores the needs and experiences of both autistic and non-autistic students using co-designed online surveys.

Talk

Applying Co-Production to Experimental Autism Research: Reflections on Allyship and Methodology

This talk reflects on my research journey from conducting quantitative experimental studies of autism within predominantly medical-model frameworks to developing more participatory and qualitative approaches informed by the neurodiversity paradigm and the social model of disability. Drawing on experiences of collaborating with autistic researchers and community members, the session will discuss different forms and levels of involvement in autism research, including consultation, collaboration, and co-production. I will reflect on lessons learned through this process, including challenges of navigating power, representation, and methodological expectations within experimental psychology. Finally, the talk will explore how participatory principles might be meaningfully integrated into experimental research designs, particularly in studies of social interaction, in order to better capture the diversity of autistic experiences and ways of being.

Photo provided by Emine Gurbuz