Emily writes frequently about autism and related issues, and her work has appeared in print or online at Discover, New York Times, Slate, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and others. Emily has a B.A. in English with minors in German and History and a Ph.D. in biological sciences, both from The University of Texas at Austin. She also completed postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco and has taught graduate and undergraduate biology for many years.
Emily Willingham
Science writer
Spectrum
From this contributor
The legacy of Steve Silberman and his book, ‘NeuroTribes’
The writer’s empathic storytelling changed how society—and researchers—view autistic people.
The legacy of Steve Silberman and his book, ‘NeuroTribes’
By
Emily Willingham
26 September 2024 | 8 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 29 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 29 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 29 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
2 November 2018 | 5 min read
Book Review: A mother finds reward in risk
In “The Boy Who Loved Too Much,” a woman tries to cocoon her son, who has Williams syndrome, from life’s insults but later realizes her protective instincts carry dangers of their own.
Book Review: A mother finds reward in risk
By
Emily Willingham
30 October 2018 | 5 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 22 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 22 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 22 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
26 October 2018 | 4 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 15 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 15 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 15 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
19 October 2018 | 4 min read
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Creating community through grant support
Fiona Sanderson, a senior program manager at the Brain Canada Foundation, shares how she got into grant administration and how she helps connect researchers with funding and one another.
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14 October 2026 | 7 min read
This paper changed my life: A first glimpse into the ‘middle’ of brain processing
Work by Jeffrey Moran and Robert Desimone showed that monkeys could focus their attention on different stimuli in their visual field without shifting their gaze. Their work marked a key milestone in the emergence of cognitive neuroscience.
This paper changed my life: A first glimpse into the ‘middle’ of brain processing
Work by Jeffrey Moran and Robert Desimone showed that monkeys could focus their attention on different stimuli in their visual field without shifting their gaze. Their work marked a key milestone in the emergence of cognitive neuroscience.
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Earl K. Miller
14 October 2026 | 3 min read
Acetaminophen effects on developing brain organoids; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 12 October.
Acetaminophen effects on developing brain organoids; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 12 October.
By
Jill Adams
13 October 2026 | 1 min read