Dr Luke Beardon has worked for over three decades in the autism field. He is a staunch advocate of autistic individuals’ rights and seeks to redress inequalities often faced by the autistic community. He has published eight books on autism and has multiple academic journal publications. As an international speaker, he has shared his passion and expertise at the United Nations, Houses of Parliament and hundreds of national and international conferences. He is a recipient of multiple inspirational teaching awards, winning a Lifetime Achievement Awards and the National Autistic Society Award for Individual Educational Professional. He works as the Senior Lecturer in Autism at Sheffield Hallam University and teaches Masters-level Post Graduate Certificate in Autism run in collaboration with the National Autistic Society, while supervising Doctoral students.