Born in Bristol—a unique city split between Tennessee and Virginia—Owen Wilson grew up with one foot in each state. His academic journey began at the University of Virginia, where he majored in Cognitive Science and Spanish. During his second year, Owen studied abroad in Valencia, Spain, immersing himself in the language and culture while traveling across the country. His first taste of research came during a summer at East Tennessee State University, where he had the chance to work alongside Lauren Driggers-Jones during her graduate studies—a connection that eventually led him to the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, which was a perfect fit for his goals.
Since joining the center, Owen has embraced the center’s mission and collaborative spirit. He loves working with passionate colleagues who share a commitment to making a difference through research. Owen plays a key role on the Spanish team, helping ensure that Durham’s large Spanish-speaking community is included in research and has access to valuable resources and knowledge from the center.
Looking ahead, Owen plans to pursue a Ph.D. in either school or clinical psychology, with a focus on addressing health disparities among individuals with minoritized identities. His interests in autism research, advocacy for Spanish-speaking families, and volunteer work with sexual and gender minority adolescents fuel his vision for a more equitable future.
Outside of work, Owen’s life is full of music, movement, and movies. He is an avid choral singer and currently performs with the Duke Chapel Evensong Singers, a small ensemble specializing in early music. Earlier this year, he became a certified yoga instructor and now teaches a heated vinyasa class at Virge Yoga in Downtown Durham every Thursday at 6:00 pm—an open invitation for anyone to join! And when the week winds down, Owen enjoys movie nights with friends and sharing reviews on Letterboxd.
Thank you, Owen, for your dedication, creativity, and the many ways you help make our research more inclusive and impactful. We’re thrilled to have you on the team!