Last year, it was announced that Liz would be joining the leading team of researchers at Autism CRC – the world’s first national collaboration between researchers, industry, government and the autistic and autism communities focused on enhancing educational opportunities and outcomes for those on the spectrum and their families. We caught up with Liz to learn a little more about what makes her tick.

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Work stuff

I’ve been at Macquarie for…

Not long! My family and I have just moved to Sydney from London, where I was Professor of Autism Education and Director of the Centre for Research in Autism and Education at University College London.

In a nutshell, my job is to…

Combine genuinely world-class, experimental research with the deepest possible engagement with the communities who that research is intended to benefit. All too often, autistic children, young people and adults are excluded from so many opportunities largely because people don’t understand what it’s like to be autistic. I want to change that.

If I could do any other job at Macquarie (with instant qualifications/knowledge) it would be…

I’d love to be the person designing all the new buildings. It is amazing to be on a campus that’s changing so much around us.

Name a Macquarie staff member that impressed you last week…

Justin Dewhurst, who is Workplace Equity and Diversity Consultant for Macquarie’s Equity and Diversity Unit – we had an excellent discussion on ways to build a more inclusive Macquarie community for all.

I get my campus coffee fix from…

Actually, any of the outlets! I don’t think I have had a bad coffee since being in Sydney (don’t tell my old London friends that, though!).

Personal life

My ethnic heritage is…

I grew up on a dairy farm in Western Australia. My dad’s family were Italian, my mum’s were from Northern Ireland.

My favourite subject at school was…

I quite liked maths. I was always really curious and wanted to know about why things happened the way they did.

Outside work, you’ll often find me…

Running after my two-year-old daughter, Freya! Her favourite hobbies – reading Hairy Maclary, going to the park, playing hide and seek – have suddenly become mine.

The most amazing place I’ve ever visited is…

There are so many! We caught the ferry across to Taronga Zoo a few weekends ago – the view of Sydney Harbour was just stunning and the animal exhibits were amazing.

If I could have dinner with anyone (living or dead) it would be…

Definitely Mark Webber. I would have loved to have been a Formula One driver!

The last great movie I saw was…

Sadly, with a two-year-old, my husband and I don’t tend to get out too much! But we do watch a great deal of TV series. We very much looked forward to the second series of The Crown which started recently!