Lee University will soon host the sixth annual Southeastern Autism Symposium, this year entitled, "The Sense and Nonsense of Autism." The symposium will be June 6-7, in the Lee University Helen DeVos College of Education. The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Stephen Shore.
Dr. Shore, author and advocate for persons with autism, will be speaking on Friday, June 6, at 11:30 a.m. in conjunction with Lee University's Autism Symposium in the Rose Lecture Hall.
Dr. Shore was diagnosed with "atypical development with strong autistic tendencies," which was followed by strong suggestions from doctors to be institutionalized. Fortunately, his parents and teachers disagreed, and as a result of their persistence and dedication, Dr. Shore earned a Ph.D. and is now a published author.
Dr. Shore completed his doctoral degree at Boston University in special education, with a focus on helping those with autism reach their full potential. He is also author of several books including: Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Ask and Tell: Self-advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, and the critically acclaimed Understanding Autism for Dummies.
Since 1996, Dr. Shore has spoken in eight countries across five continents, giving hundreds of presentations on the autism spectrum. Recently, he spoke at the United Nations Conference on Disaster Relief in Kobe and Yokohama, Japan.
In addition, Dr. Shore works internationally with adult autism issues, addressing such topics as education, relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure.
Dr. Shore serves on the board of the Autism Society of America, as board president of the Asperger's Association of New England, and is on the Board of Directors for Unlocking Autism, the Autism Services Association of Massachusetts, MAAP Services, The College Internship Program, and the KEEN Foundation.
For more information on the symposium or to register to attend, please contact Hariett Cannon at hariettcannon@leeuniversity.edu or by calling 614-8192 or 614-8175. You can also visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/events/autism-symposium/ on Lee's website for further updates.