Associate Professor
Department of Social Sciences | Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Education | Motor & Brain Development Lab at the Waisman Center
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Dr. Brittany Travers is an Associate Professor and Carla and Mike Austin Faculty Fellow in the Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her PhD in Cognitive Psychology in 2011 from the University of Alabama. Her overarching program of research, housed at the Waisman Center, focuses on the intersection between sensorimotor skills and neurobiology in autistic and non-autistic individuals. Specifically, she focuses on how motor development may serve as a window into neuroanatomy, core social communication features, and skill development, which has led to a strong interest in the brainstem. She also examines how motor differences impact the daily lives and occupations of autistic and non-autistic individuals, and whether novel interventions targeting motor skills can support enhanced daily living skills.
Dr. Travers’ talk can also be offered in Spanish.
Talks:
Using Brain Imaging & Movement to Better Understand Autism
Motor differences are commonly reported in autistic individuals. However, the daily-life impact and neurobiological basis of motor differences are not clear. This talk will discuss sensorimotor differences commonly reported in autistic individuals, links to critical-for-life brain structures, and links to daily living skills.