Drexel's School of Public Health, along with the College of Medicine, will recognize World Autism Awareness Day on Monday, April 2, this year by lighting up the Great Court in Main Building with blue lights as part of Autism Speaks' worldwide Light It Up Blue program. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to wear blue that day in support of the program.
This is the third year that the School of Public Health has participated in the international autism awareness program. Iconic landmarks across the globe, including the Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House and Kobe Port Tower in Japan, will be blue that day.
The event will kick-off a month's worth of activities for the School of Public Health in recognition of Autism Awareness Month in April. Throughout the month, faculty and staff from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute and the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) autism study at Drexel will be talking about autism and the work being done at Drexel on the school's social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The EARLI study will also be launching a new public service announcement during the month, and will be going on a number of recruitment trips across the region.
The awareness activities come on the heels of a new $1.5 million grant from the Charles and Barbara Close Foundation to the A.J. Drexel Institute. Learn more about the Institute here.
You can learn more about the research being done on autism at the School of Public Health by looking at the work of our expert faculty who focus on autism, including Dr. Igor Burstyn, Dr. Brian Lee, Dr. Nora Lee, Dr. Craig Newschaffer and Dr. Michael Yudell.
Stay connected with the School of Public Health throughout April for more about autism and the work that is being done at Drexel.
Light It Up Blue, in its third year, is a unique global initiative by Autism Speaks to help raise awareness about the growing public health concern that is autism. Iconic landmarks around the world will Light It Up Blue to show their support on April 2, known as World Autism Awareness Day. In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), with the goal of bringing the world's attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health concern. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism crisis and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of people with autism, and features community events around the world where individuals with autism and their families are warmly welcomed and embraced.
--Rich Ochab