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
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
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
Explore more from The Transmitter
AI tool estimates social ability by analyzing speech
The system’s code and training data—drawn from one of the largest databases of speech recordings from autistic people—are openly available.

AI tool estimates social ability by analyzing speech
The system’s code and training data—drawn from one of the largest databases of speech recordings from autistic people—are openly available.
About-faces in U.S. federal science funding put neuroscientists on edge
“It’s hard to know what’s real,” says neuroscientist Josh Dubnau after a dizzying week in which diversity-related grant applications were pulled from study sections only to be reinstated five days later, among other reversals.

About-faces in U.S. federal science funding put neuroscientists on edge
“It’s hard to know what’s real,” says neuroscientist Josh Dubnau after a dizzying week in which diversity-related grant applications were pulled from study sections only to be reinstated five days later, among other reversals.
Dmitri Chklovskii outlines how single neurons may act as their own optimal feedback controllers
From logical gates to grandmother cells, neuroscientists have employed many metaphors to explain single neuron function. Chklovskii makes the case that neurons are actually trying to control how their outputs affect the rest of the brain.
Dmitri Chklovskii outlines how single neurons may act as their own optimal feedback controllers
From logical gates to grandmother cells, neuroscientists have employed many metaphors to explain single neuron function. Chklovskii makes the case that neurons are actually trying to control how their outputs affect the rest of the brain.