CURRICULUM VITAE

Dr. Mitzi Waltz

Autism Centre for Education and Research

School of Education

University of Birmingham

Edgbaston, Birmingham B14 2TT

0121 414 7607

m.waltz@bham.ac.uk

http://www.mitziwaltz.com

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Disability studies, cultural studies and history of autism, family and community support for people with autism, special education, and biomedical research in autism—particularly participatory and emancipatory research, and communicating research results with the public.

CAREER

April 2007 – present

Lecturer, Autism Studies, University of Birmingham

August 2002 – March 2007

Senior Lecturer, Media and Cultural Studies, University of Sunderland

January 2002 – present

Regional Tutor, Autism PGDip/MEd programme, School of Education, University of Birmingham

June 1990 – Aug 2002

Freelance journalist and editor (health and medicine specialist)

June 1988-June 1990

Editor, MACweek magazine, San Francisco, CA

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

“The Relationship of Ethics to Quality: The Particular Case of Research in Autism,” International Journal of Research & Method in Education, in press for October 2007.

Alternative and Activist Media (University of Edinburgh Press, 2006)

“Reading Case Studies of People with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: A Cultural Studies Approach to Issues of Disability Representation,” Disability & Society, 20 (5), June 2005: pp. 421-435.

“Autism, Gender, Sex, and Sexuality,” Proceedings of the Durham International Conference on Autism, 2004.

“Infantile Autism in 19th Century London: Three Case Reports” (with Paul Shattock), Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 8 (1), March 2004: pp. 7-20.

Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Diagnosis, Options and Answers (Future Horizons, 2003)

Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Finding a Diagnosis and Getting Help (O’Reilly & Associates, 2002)

“A History of Ideas about Autism: A Framework for Research, and a Preliminary Report on Recent Work,” Proceedings of the Durham International Conference on Autism, 2002.

Adult Bipolar Disorders: Finding Answers and Getting Help (O’Reilly & Associates, 2002)

Tourette’s Syndrome: Help for Children and Adolescents (O’Reilly & Associates, 2001)

Partial Seizure Disorders: Help for Patients and Families (O'Reilly & Associates, 2001)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Help for Children and Adolescents (O'Reilly & Associates, 2000)

Webster’s-New World Dictionary of Medical Terms (editor) (IDG/Webster’s-New World, 2000)

Bipolar Disorders: A Guide to Helping Children and Adolescents (O’Reilly & Associates, 1999)

Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Finding a Diagnosis and Getting Help (O’Reilly & Associates, 1999). Nominated for the Autism Society of America's Outstanding Literary Work of the Year award.

EDUCATION

University of Sunderland, 2000-2006

PhD. Thesis: “Representations of autism and their impact on research and treatment,” awarded July 2006.

San Francisco State University, 1986-1988

BA in Journalism, Honours, awarded May 1988

City College of San Francisco, 1985-1986

Coursework in Journalism and Health Sciences

University of New Mexico, 1980-1984

Coursework in Architecture, Urban Planning, History, Art, Photography

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

Associate Member, Centre for Medical History, University of Birmingham; Member, Autism Europe, 2003-present, Disability Studies Association, 2003-present; Association of Journalism Educators, 2003-2007; Co-chair, Oregon sub-local, National Writers Union, 1995-1998; Co-chair of national Journalism Campaign, National Writers Union, 1999; member, Special Education Advisory Council, Portland Public Schools, 1999-2001; founding member, Network for Special Education, 1998-2001; founding member, Oregon Parents United, 1999-2001; member, Autism Society of America, 1997-2001