Autistic UCD research student building AI learning tool

Lisa O'Neill. Image: University College Dublin

‘I became very aware of how misunderstood Autistic people still are, especially in education, healthcare and workplaces’.

Lisa O’Neill is researching neuroaffirmative approaches in education for Autistic students as part of her master’s degree at University College Dublin’s School of Medicine.

Alongside her research, O’Neill is the founder and CEO behind ‘NeuroConnect’, an Autistic-led platform designed to translate research and lived experience into practical training, guidance and AI-supported tools. The tool is designed for a variety of groups, including educators, employers, families and Autistic people.

O’Neill herself is Autistic, having been diagnosed in her mid-forties. She says this understanding set off a spark in her.