Stefan Perryman is a second-year Psychology student who recently completed an eight-week summer internship with us. The internship is jointly organised by Autism@Manchester and The University of Manchester’s Careers Service and aims to provide autistic students with the opportunity to experience working in an autism research lab.

Here Stefan shares his experience of the role.

Reflections on My Autism@Manchester Internship 

Activities and Contributions 

During my time as the Autism@Manchester intern, I had the opportunity to support various researchers, including Professors, Lecturers and PhD and master’s students, assisting them with tasks such as data extraction, data input, creating graphs, and utilizing SPSS for analysis. My input was especially valued in piloting studies where my autistic perspective was crucial for refining experimental designs. I created newsletters for a new programme designed to help parents understand and support their autistic children, which enriched my understanding of the importance of effective post-diagnostic support. Additionally, I helped with two systematic reviews and the planning of a new autism module for the BSc Psychology course, all of which were particularly exciting and insightful experiences. 

Highlights of the Experience  

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the internship. Advising on the use of neurodiversity-affirming language within research studies and piloting three varied studies to enhance their accessibility and accuracy for autistic participants were particularly rewarding tasks. My meetings with Emma were always engaging and filled with enriching and fun discussions. The diverse range of tasks ensured that the internship was always stimulating (something my ADHD and autistic brain needs). A significant highlight of my internship was the chance to extend my involvement with the Autism@Manchester research group through a placement year and ongoing collaboration with Emma. 

Growth and Skill Development 

The internship provided advanced opportunities that surpassed those encountered in my BSc Psychology course and previous roles, marking a period of significant growth in my confidence and skills. The experience and skills that I have gained are invaluable for my upcoming placement year and beyond; for instance, I learned to refine systematic search terms and utilise search engine tools for focused results, as well as how to systematically review papers in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Additionally, regular interactions with researchers have improved my confidence in communicating and deepened my knowledge of neurodiversity.

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