Professor of Psychiatry and Education
Catherine Lord is the George Tarjan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Education at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is a practicing clinical psychologist whose primary focus is autism and related disorders across the lifespan from toddlers through adulthood. Her research and clinical work are aimed at improving methods of identifying strengths and difficulties in individuals with possible ASD and working with families and individuals to maximize independence and well-being for all concerned.
This has involved the development of diagnostic instruments (the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – ADOS, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised – ADI-R, and the Social Communication Questionnaire—SCQ) that describe individual profiles of skills and weaknesses and carrying out longitudinal studies from age 15 months up to 30 years . She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the American Association of Arts and Sciences