Employee Spotlight: Charlotte Stoute
Originally from Panama and Denmark, Charlotte Stoute brings a multicultural perspective to her work here at the center. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke, Charlotte was among the first to begin working at the Autism Center in 2015. Through her ten-year tenure, Charlotte has grown into her role as Regulatory coordinator, and excels at helping studies across the center. Charlotte is especially passionate about research that improves access to services for families facing structural or linguistic barriers to care.
ArtVentures at the Nasher: Photo Story
On Sunday, March 9, 2025, the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development collaborated with Duke University's Nasher Museum of Art to host a sensory friendly event for local families. Kids enjoyed making crafts and tours of the galleries led by Nasher staff, all in a structured, small-group setting.
Quick Learner: What is the Autism Spectrum?
Duke University collaborated with the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development to produce this brief video explaining the autism spectrum.
Autism Center photo featured in The Duke Daily
David Akinsooto, clinical research specialist with the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, carries a child through a gallery at Duke’s Nasher Museum of Art during a sensory-friendly arts event. Kids and families had the opportunity to make fun crafts and experience the galleries in small groups led by Nasher Museum tour guides, all in a structured environment. The event was a collaboration between the museum and the autism center.
Brief Report: Relationships Between Caregiver-Reported Behaviors and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers
In 2024, Duke autism researcher Jane Marryat and team compared toddlers’ scores on the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT), which is used to screen for autism in young children, with another measure of behavioral and emotional concerns. Findings suggest that high scores on an MCHAT autism screening may indicate other behavioral concerns such as ADHD that should alert clinicians and families to additional support needs for young children.
PBS NC: Meet the Young Farmer with Autism Changing His Community at Blawesome Flower Farm
Rebecca Sorensen is a member of the Duke Autism Center of Excellence Community Engagement Advisory Board. See her son Raimee’s story in this video from PBS North Carolina.
Employee Spotlight: David Akinsooto
David Akinsooto has been with the Autism Center since 2023 and has been an essential member of the COMET and HERO study teams, as well as the broader center. Originally from Pittstown New Jersey, David is the middle child, with two autistic siblings. Growing up, he always wanted to understand what made him and his siblings so different. So, when he attended Swarthmore College in 2019, he double majored in Neuroscience and Economics.
2024 Autism Center Impact Report Now Available
The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development’s 2024 Impact Report is out now! Read how our research, clinical services, education, and community partnerships have made a positive impact for the autism community here in Durham and around the world!
Where Are They Now?
Ten years after the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development was founded, our trainees have gone on to careers in research, clinical practice, and academic leadership. We caught up with three former trainees to learn more about how their experience at Duke prepared them to make an impact in the field.
How is Machine Learning Helping Us Understand the Brain?
You may be familiar with the saying, “If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person”. In a clinical and research context, while we know a lot about how different autistic children present, this knowledge doesn’t always help us identify which groups of children may respond differently to specific supports and intervention approaches. Even experienced clinicians have a limited number of interventions to fit all these unique children.