The faculty steering committee has constituted itself with the charge of leading the UC system in establishing a California-wide Center for Research in Special Education, Disabilities, and Developmental Risk (SPEDDR) as a Multi-Campus Research Unit that will unify and solidify UC resources. Primary aims of the Center are to enhance the University of California’s ability to attract from a national pool of talented students, win large extramural grants, improve national visibility of UC efforts, and enhance the doctoral preparation of the next generation of research, teacher education, and other related public service doctorates. Already, UCSB, UCR, UCSD, and UCLA and the UC Office of the President have each made ongoing financial commitments to the Center, and UCD and UCB have indicated their support.

Alumni UC SPEDDR Student Representative, Sharon Elmensdorp was awarded the Thomas Haring Fellowship Award on May 15, 2009 in recognotion of her work in the area of early diagnosis, field supervision, and training of professionals. Her work represents a commitment to inclusion, early diagnosis, and intervention, with long term commitment to individuals with autism.

The Thomas Haring Fellowship was established by the Haring family as a memorial to their son who was a beloved professor at UC Santa Barbara. Haring was an extraordinarily creative researcher and an advocate for people with disabilities as well as an excellent teacher and mentor and the award is presented to a doctoral student who embodies his enduring principles.