Robert Rozema is a professor of English at Grand Valley State University and the director of the ARD. His current research focuses on neurodiversity, autistic adolescents and literacy, and autistic culture. He is the co-editor of Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture.

Jennifer Nelson (GVSU 2022) served as the undergraduate research assistant for the ARD from 2021-2022 and contributed over 1500 entries to the databas. She studied special education at Grand Valley State University. 

Jennifer published her ARD research in Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture. See An Analysis of Self-published Novels by Autistic Authors as a Form of Advocacy. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture, 3(2), 5.

Taylor Zuerner-Gumro (GVSU 2023) served as an undergraduate research assistant for the ARD in 2023. She double majored in English and Psychology. She also interns in Analytical Behavioral Analysis as a Behavioral Technician and is exploring further career options related to autism.

Lyndsi Martin (GVSU 2024) served as an undergraduate research assistant for the ARD in 2024. She double majored in English and Biology to become a future secondary education teacher. She also mentors for the Disability Support Resources at Grand Valley State University through their program Campus Links, where she supports students with ASD.  Exploring further career options related to autism, Lyndsi would like to get a degree in special education in the future. 

Alora Bowers (GVSU 2024) served as an undergraduate research assistant for the ARD in 2024. She double majored in English and Secondary Education, with a double minor in History and Writing, at Grand Valley State University. Her current interests lie in the intersection of neurodiversity, literature, and environmentalism. This is reflected in the subject of her capstone project which explored the growing conversation between autism and environmentalism through an examination of Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World by Sabina Berman. 

The ARD is supported by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship at Grand Valley State University.