Elissa Ball is a former data analysis intern for Spectrum. Prior to coming here, she worked in the Yonkers Public Library and as a tutor for Kaplan Test Prep. She earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, with a minor in mechanical engineering, from the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia.
Elissa Ball
From this contributor
Why autism training for police isn’t enough
Inconsistent and underfunded training programs may hurt more than they help, experts say.
Why autism training for police isn’t enough
By
Elissa Ball, Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky
26 November 2020 | 16 min read
Autistic and non-autistic youth get different healthcare as they age
Young people with autism receive more mental health services, more consistent primary care and less gynecological or urgent care than their neurotypical peers.
Autistic and non-autistic youth get different healthcare as they age
By
Elissa Ball
23 September 2020 | 3 min read
Almost one-third of autistic children in the United States live in poverty
Children younger than age 5 and Black and Hispanic children on the spectrum experience the most financial hardships.
Almost one-third of autistic children in the United States live in poverty
By
Elissa Ball
19 August 2020 | 1 min read
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Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 January.
Sensory profiles in autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 January.
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Jill Adams
20 January 2026 | 2 min read
Frameshift: At a biotech firm, Ubadah Sabbagh embraces the expansive world outside academia
As chief of staff at Arcadia, Ubadah Sabbagh gets to do science while also pushing the boundaries of how science gets done.
Frameshift: At a biotech firm, Ubadah Sabbagh embraces the expansive world outside academia
As chief of staff at Arcadia, Ubadah Sabbagh gets to do science while also pushing the boundaries of how science gets done.
By
Katie Moisse
20 January 2026 | 7 min read
How to collaborate with AI
To make the best use of LLMs in research, turn your scientific question into a set of concrete, checkable proposals, wire up an automatic scoring loop, and let the AI iterate.
How to collaborate with AI
To make the best use of LLMs in research, turn your scientific question into a set of concrete, checkable proposals, wire up an automatic scoring loop, and let the AI iterate.
By
Kenneth Harris
19 January 2026 | 6 min read