New University building for psychology and autism research officially opens

The University of Bath’s Department of Psychology are officially opening at their new 10 West building today.

The building will provide space for the expansion of the Department of Psychology, including the new Centre for Applied Autism Research (CAAR), a new home for the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and a dedicated postgraduate study space on its upper floors.

Head of Department for the Department for Psychology, Bas Verplanken, says of the opening: “It is wonderful to move into the building to enjoy the fantastic space it provides. We are looking forward to the Department expanding its research facilities now that we are in situ.”

The facilities will help accelerate research to tackle a range of pressing global challenges of today, varying from dismantling the barriers of autism, helping blind people see, applying technology to health behaviours, dealing with mental health problems, to promoting more healthy and sustainable lifestyles. Through our Institute for Policy Research the Department will inform the future policies of local, national and supranational governments.

The Centre for Applied Autism Research (CAAR) was established in 2016 by Drs Ashwin, Brosnan, Maras and Russell from the Department of Psychology, who research the social-cognitive challenges faced by autistic people, to facilitate full and active involvement within society. This requires the active participation of the autistic and broader autism communities, including ‘the autistic researcher’. CAAR aims to understand autism through world-class research; to translate theory into practical applications; to fully include the community within research; and to offer an educational and research resource for autism.

Dr Mark Brosnan, CAAR Director and the Director of Research for Psychology said: “I’m delighted to we to open the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University’s new psychology building. This will give us a fantastic opportunity to explore our work on autism and understand our applied research into this condition.”