Geraldine Dawson is a preeminent scholar and transformative figure in autism research, currently serving as the William Cleland Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, with additional appointments in Pediatrics and Psychology & Neuroscience. She received her Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington and completed her clinical training at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, establishing the foundation for her distinguished career focused on neurodevelopmental disorders. Prior to her tenure at Duke, she directed the University of Washington Autism Center and served as Chief Science Officer for Autism Speaks from 2008 to 2013, where she significantly shaped national research priorities and advocacy efforts. Her leadership extends to founding the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, an NIH Autism Center of Excellence that integrates research, clinical services, and policy initiatives to improve outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
Dawson's pioneering research has revolutionized early detection and intervention for autism, most notably through her co-development of the Early Start Denver Model, an empirically validated intervention for toddlers with autism that is now implemented globally and has been translated into fourteen languages. Her laboratory demonstrated that autism signs can be detected in infants as young as 12 months, establishing critical early intervention windows that have transformed clinical practice worldwide. Through innovative research utilizing electrophysiology and functional neuroimaging, she has characterized early differences in brain activity associated with autism and developed EEG biomarkers that predict clinical outcomes with remarkable accuracy. These contributions have earned her recognition as a Clarivate Top 1% Cited Researcher across all scientific fields, reflecting the profound impact of her work on both scientific understanding and clinical application.
As a visionary leader, Dawson has served as president of the International Society for Autism Research and continues to shape the field through her directorship of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, which fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across medicine, engineering, and neuroscience. She actively partners with colleagues in computer science and engineering to develop novel digital health approaches for autism screening and outcome monitoring, demonstrating her commitment to innovation in assessment and intervention. Her current research explores cutting-edge methods for primary care autism screening, early predictors of anxiety in autism, and the therapeutic potential of cord blood for symptom reduction in young children. Dawson's enduring legacy continues to influence generations of researchers and clinicians, ensuring that scientific advances translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of individuals with autism and their families through her dual focus on rigorous science and compassionate care.
