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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The 11th annual (MAC), coordinated by the Western Michigan University Department of Psychology, will take place from Oct. 11-13 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo.

The mission of the conference is to provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners, teachers and caregivers to share information on contemporary practices and the best ways of supporting autistic individuals at all cross sections of life. 

“We have a lot of presentations focused on assessment and a variety of interventions,” says Dr. Jessica Van Stratton, co-chair of the conference. “We tried to boost the number of presentations that we have that are educationally focused. There's a really nice array of options for teachers or school staff too.” 

One of the standout features of the MAC is its opening night kickoff event on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 7 p.m. This event is open to the public and provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy refreshments while listening to distinguished speakers. 

“Not only is the kickoff free and open to everybody, but also, there's a group of people who will be talking, some of whom are actually here at Western Michigan University,” says Van Stratton. “That evening’s panel will be talking about their expertise in severe challenging behavior. That's a really important area because we don't have enough services and enough research in that area, especially in the state of Michigan.” 

What separates this conference from others in the subject area is its broad range of topics discussed, such as sexuality, entrepreneurship, parenthood and more. 

“There are other conferences, but their missions are not the same as such in terms of the diversity of offerings, the amount of offerings and what comes out of the conference,” says Van Stratton. “So this one is pretty uniquely positioned in the state of Michigan. It also serves largely as a regional conference, because we get a lot of people who attend from outside of Michigan.”

The genesis of the Michigan Autism Conference dates back to 2012, and it has consistently grown in popularity. From its humble beginnings with approximately 270 attendees in the first year, the conference now boasts over 900 participants. The concept was to have a conference meant to expand existing and new knowledge of autism, but also to allow for professional development for those within different fields related to autism. 

“The planning committee for the conference is either current students or former students of the conference,” says Van Stratton. “So, it's a really nice opportunity to engage students.” 

In-person registration for the conference is now closed, but virtual access is still available. For more information on sessions being offered, check the MAC’s , or contact Van Stratton. 

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