Dr. Cynthia Anderson Travels to India, Addresses International Autism Conference

Cynthia Anderson, Ph.D., BCBA-D, May Institute’s Senior Vice President of Applied Behavior Analysis, recently traveled to India to be a guest speaker at the 2019 International Autism Conference, “Accountability and Evidence Based Best Practices in Autism.” The conference was hosted by the Center for Autism and Other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADRRE), a not-for-profit organization founded in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, with the aim of transforming the lives of children affected with autism spectrum disorder.

Dr. Anderson gave two invited presentations at the conference. One, delivered to professionals who traveled from India and beyond to attend the conference, was called, “Autism Across the Lifespan: Shifting the Focus of Intervention.” In this talk, Dr. Anderson discussed the importance of adaptive behavior, noting that these behaviors are critical for getting along in the world. The second talk was for parents, and focused on addressing challenging behavior.

While in India, Dr. Anderson had the opportunity to visit the CADRRE school in Thiruvananthapuram and meet with the dedicated team working at the school. The Honorary Director of CADRRE, Vijaya Raghavan, made sure that Dr. Anderson and other invited speakers got to experience the beauty of India. He gave a guided tour of the city of Thiruvananthapuram and also hosted a traditional Kerela meal, which was served on a banana leaf and included many different foods. Conference speakers also enjoyed several musical interludes during which musicians played traditional and modern Indian music.

“It was a trip of a lifetime,” said Dr. Anderson. “In addition to visiting India, which is something I have always wanted to do, I was able to truly experience the vibrancy and culture of Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala and spend time with many people who live there, having great conversations, seeing their school, and sharing meals.”  

Dr. Anderson shared a wide range of photos from her time in India, see those photos here.