Sharing Ideas

How important is it to you and your team to know what other scientists are doing?
It's crucial, because you don't want to waste time covering ground that others have already covered. All science builds on existing work. Because of this, communication skills are a real asset to a scientist, getting your work across to other scientists, as well as nonscientists who might be interested (for us that's parents, teachers and clinicians).

What do you think is your most important scientific discovery or invention?
Everything I do is a team effort, and builds on many people's work. I hope that my most important discovery is still ahead of me! Of my work so far, I'm pleased with our findings that there may be a specialized and dedicated system in the mind and brain for what you might call social intelligence. You can see this in brain imaging studies, in patients with brain damage later in life, and in people with autism who may be very clever except in the social field. I'm also very keen to convey to people that autism is not just a deficit, but a different way of processing the world, and some of our recent studies have shown the sorts of things people with autism are really good at, and that these detail-focused abilities run in their families.

What do you find most satisfying about your work?
I really love my job, for all sorts of reasons. There's a huge variety in what I do, from reading and writing papers, to designing experiments, making tests, visiting schools and seeing children, and traveling around telling people about our findings and theories. I enjoy communicating our ideas, on paper or by giving talks, and like the challenge of speaking to very different types of audiences. Its also really nice to be autonomous and be able to decide one's own research directions. I also think the people you get to meet and work with are also a lot nicer and more interesting than in some other types of job.

Which scientist, past or present, do you most admire and why?
I don't have any special heroes or heroines. I think William James had a wonderful understanding of the mind, and a gift for communication. My PhD supervisor and now colleague, Prof. Uta Frith, has been a great mentor and is a splendid model as a scientist of exceptional originality, generosity, and humility.

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