‘I became very aware of how much Autistic people are still not understood, especially in education, health care and the workplace’.
Lisa O’Neill is researching neuroaffirmative approaches to education for Autistic students as part of her masters degree at University College Dublin’s School of Medicine.
Alongside his research, O’Neill is the founder and CEO behind ‘NeuroConnect’, an Autistic-led platform designed to translate research and living knowledge into practical training, coaching and AI-powered tools. The tool is designed for various groups, including teachers, employers, families and people with Autism.
O’Neill himself is autistic, having been diagnosed in his mid-forties. He says this realization sparked him.
“Suddenly, many things that happened in my life started to make sense, but at the same time I realized that people with Autism are still not well understood, especially in education, health and workplaces.”
What inspired you to become a researcher? Do you have any memories that spark a spark?
One particular memory that stayed with me was realizing how often Autistic people are mentioned in research and training but are not truly included in shaping it. It made me want to contribute to research that institutions lived experience and create practical change, not just theory.
That experience inspired both my MSc research and my work developing NeuroConnect, an AI-enabled, Autistic-led platform focused on more neuroaffirmative support for teachers, employers, families, and Autistic people themselves.
Can you tell us about the research you are currently working on?
I am currently completing an MSc research project focusing on engagement around Autistic students in mainstream primary education. My research looks at how schools, families, and individuals with Autism can effectively work together to create more supportive and neuroaffirmative educational experiences.
This project grew out of my own life experience (as a late-diagnosed Autistic adult and parent of an Autistic child), and from seeing how often there is conflict between programs, professionals, families, and people with Autism.
Over time, research has evolved from looking at “support” to examining shared understanding, communication, and relationship building.
Using my lived experience and understanding of autism I worked closely with my child’s school during a very difficult transition, to help them better understand his needs and communication style. Over time they started taking my advice and guidance and the situation gradually improved. Today my son goes to school every day which has had a great impact on me and shaped the direction of my research.
I work with managers across medicine and psychology, which has been really helpful because the project is multidisciplinary.
Alongside my MSc, I also created NeuroConnect, an Autistic-led platform that translates many of these ideas into practical training and AI-supported guidance for teachers, employers, families, and Autistic people. For me, research and the field are closely linked because both focus on creating practical, real-world change.
In your opinion, why is your research important?
I think this research is important because many Autistic people, especially children and young people, are still trying to fit into systems that were never designed with the Autistic experience in mind. Support that often focuses on changing the Autistic person rather than improving understanding, communication, and the environment around them.
My research focuses on collaboration and shared understanding because I believe that better outcomes occur when Autistic people, families, teachers, and professionals work together sincerely and value each other’s perspectives. Small changes in understanding and communication can make a big difference in a person’s education, well-being, confidence, and future opportunities.
And I think it’s important that Autistic voices are meaningfully included in research and practice. Living experience should not be an afterthought. It should help shape the systems and infrastructure being created.
What commercial applications do you foresee for your research?
I see tremendous potential for my research to be translated into practical tools and training to improve real-world support for people with Autism across education, health care, and workplaces. Alongside my research, I am developing the NeuroConnect platform with the aim of transforming research and living knowledge into accessible training, mentoring and support tools powered by AI.
The long-term goal is to develop evidence-based resources that help educators, employers, and professionals better understand and support people with Autism in everyday settings. These may include neuroaffirmative coaching programs, digital support platforms, collaborative planning tools, and AI-assisted mentoring programs informed by lived experience and research evidence.
The most important thing for me is that any commercial application is always based on ethics, accessibility, and Autistic perspectives, to create meaningful and practical change rather than just raising awareness.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a researcher in your field?
One of the biggest challenges is trying to bridge the gap between live experiences and traditional systems. In Autism research Autistic voices have historically been underrepresented so there can still be a disconnect between what research focuses on and what Autistic people really need in everyday life.
Another challenge is that education, health care, and workplace systems are often under great pressure, so even when people want to do better, they may lack the time, training, or resources to fully support neuroaffirmative approaches. Part of my research involves exploring how to create meaningful and realistic approaches within real-world settings.
As someone who comes to research from both lived experience and higher education, I think that sometimes there can be challenges in balancing personal understanding with academic expectations. At the same time, I see that as one of the strengths I bring to my work because it keeps the research grounded in real experience and practical impact.
Are there any common misconceptions about this area of research? How can you talk to them?
Yes, I think one common misconception is that autism research is about deficits, behaviors or finding ways to “fix” Autistic people. Increasingly, many researchers and Autistic advocates are challenging that approach and instead focusing on shared understanding, communication and relational aspects such as collaboration and emotional safety between Autistic people and their wider support systems.
Another misconception is that supporting Autistic people requires drastic or impossible changes. In fact small changes in communication, predictability, flexibility, and understanding can often make a huge difference.
I also think that there can be a misunderstanding that lived experience and academic research are somewhat different. For me, lived experience strengthens research because it helps ensure that the questions asked are relevant to real life and the results are meaningful to the people the research aims to support.
What are some of the research areas you would like to see addressed in the coming years?
I would really like to see more research done in collaboration with Autistic people and based on lived experience from the beginning, rather than Autistic people only being contacted at the end of the project.
I would also like to see a greater focus on relational and systematic approaches, especially regarding communication, shared understanding, and collaboration between people with Autism, families, teachers, doctors, and employers. I think there is still a lot we don’t fully understand about how environments and relationships shape the outcomes of people with Autism.
Another area that I think is incredibly important is the behavioral use of AI and technology to improve accessibility, education, mental health support, and everyday communication for neurodivergent people. There is great power there if it is developed in a neuroaffirmative and person-centered way.
Finally, I would like to see more strengths-based research that looks at Autistic well-being, identity, identity, and long-term quality of life, rather than focusing solely on difficulties or deficits.
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