EIU Media Relations

Fall Autism Conference Planned at Eastern Illinois University

A fall autism conference is planned for Oct. 3 and 4 on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

David Finch will speak from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, at Dvorak Concert Hall, Doudna Fine Arts Center, on how he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome five years after his marriage and how he has since committed himself to relentless self-improvement, sometimes to a comical extent.  Finch is a humorist and author of the acclaimed New York Times best-selling memoir, “The Journal of Best Practices.”

Tickets for his presentation are $10 and can be obtained online here or call 217-581-3110.

Dr. Timothy Kowalski, a speech-language pathologist specializing in social-pragmatic communication deficits and an internationally known expert on Asperger syndrome, will present from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in the University Ballroom, MLK Jr. Union.  He is the author of five books and was named the recipient of the 2010 Clinician of the Year Award by the Florida Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

This workshop is approved for five hours of continuing education credit from ASHA.  Registration is $50 for professionals/the general public ($15 for students) and includes lunch.  For registration information, go here.

Both of these events are part of the EIU capital campaign to raise funds for an autism center on the EIU campus.  Sponsors include the EIU Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences and the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

For more information, please contact Sandi Thiele at 217-581-2712 in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences.