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Hume awarded 2025 Research Award from Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities

The UNC School of Education’s Kara Hume, Ph.D., the Richard “Dick” Coop Faculty Scholar and associate professor, center, accepts the 2025 Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Research Award, on Jan. 22, at the 26th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities in Clearwater, Fla. She is pictured with Bree Jimenez, DADD president, and Jordan Shurr, DADD executive director.

The UNC School of Education’s Kara Hume, Ph.D., the Richard “Dick” Coop Faculty Scholar and associate professor, center, accepts the 2025 Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Research Award, on Jan. 22, at the 26th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities in Clearwater, Fla. She is pictured with Bree Jimenez, DADD president, and Jordan Shurr, DADD executive director.

The following was adapted from a press release published by the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD). 

Kara Hume, Ph.D., the Richard “Dick” Coop Faculty Scholar in Education within the UNC School of Education, was named the recipient of the 2025 Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Research Award — a recognition that honors outstanding contributions to research supporting individuals with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. 

Hume was presented with the award at the 26th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities in Clearwater, Fla., during an award ceremony on Jan. 22. 

“This award is a testament to Dr. Hume’s dedication and groundbreaking contributions to autism research,” said Jill Hamm, Ph.D., interim dean of the School and William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education. “Her work has advanced evidence-based interventions, enriched countless lives, and paved the way for future scholars to build on this key research. We are proud to see an integral member of the School’s community recognized in this way.” 

For 30 years, Hume, who is also a faculty fellow at UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and director of the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice, has dedicated her career to advancing school- and community-based interventions for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Her research focuses on autistic children and youth, school-based interventions from preschool through high school transition, and the impact of life skills and physical activity outside of school. She collaborates with youth, families, school teams, and community partners to conduct applied research in real-world settings.  

I’m so grateful to have been nominated and to receive this award from DADD, and most importantly to get to do this work with the autism community alongside such wonderful colleagues, community members, and students,” said Hume.  

Hume, who joined the School in 2019, has worked with children and young adults on the autism spectrum in various capacities, including as a home program therapist, teacher, trainer, consultant, and researcher. She has published more than 71 peer-reviewed articles with over 11,540 citations and has secured more than $21 million in research funding.  

In recent years, Hume’s work has supported autistic adolescents and young adults through exercise. With a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she and adjunct faculty member Brianne Tomaszewski, Ph.D., are conducting research to help increase the physical activity of adults with intellectual disabilities, supporting their physical and mental health and promoting healthy aging. This R01 grant, called the PACE program (Physical Activity and Community EmPOWERment), funds pilot testing of two multi-level physical activity programs — Step It Up and Power Hour — to assess feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity.  

Since its launch in 2018, Power Hour has grown to include more than 25 regular participants, both with and without disabilities, building an inclusive community through weekly adaptive fitness classes. 

“What might be less obvious is the impact she has had on mentoring the next generation of researchers,” Melissa Sreckovic, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Honors Program at the University of Michigan-Flint, said of Hume’s recognition. “She has guided countless students, post-docs, and investigators, empowering them to pursue meaningful research that advances the cause of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and autism. Her mentorship has been a cornerstone of my professional growth, and I am just one of many whose careers have been shaped by her generosity, expertise, and encouragement.”  

DADD, which presents this award, is a division of the Council for Exceptional Children that has supported the education of students with autism, intellectual disabilities, and other developmental disabilities since 1963. The division also advances research dissemination, professional practice standards, and networking among professionals in the field. 

For more information about the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD), visit daddcec.com.