Advocate and Author Discusses Ethics and the Autism/Asperger World at MBL Summer Falmouth Forum, August 13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 26, 2012
Contact: Susan Joslin, Marine Biological Laboratory, (508) 289-7281, sjoslin@mbl.edu

MBL, Woods Hole, MA – Michael John Carley, author and executive director of The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership (GRASP), will examine many of the challenges faced by those living on the autism spectrum in a talk titled “Controversy, Stigma, and Inflexibility: Ethical Conundrums of the Autism/Asperger World.” The lecture will be held Monday, August 13 at 7:30 PM at the MBL’s Lillie Auditorium, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole. This annual bioethics lecture is sponsored by Gerald and Ruth Fischbach. It is free and open to the public.

Michael John Carley founded GRASP, the largest educational and advocacy organization for adults and teens on the autism spectrum, which has over 7,000 members and 261 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. As spokesperson, Carley has appeared on television and radio, spoken at over eighty events, and lobbied in Washington, D.C. Mr. Carley is also the executive director of Asperger Syndrome Training and Employment Partnership (ASTEP). This non-profit agency focuses on educating Fortune 1000 employers on the benefits of hiring employees with Asperger’s and how to create an inclusive workplace environment.

Mr. Carley holds a contract with the New York City Department of Education’s Special Education district, training staff on how to recognize autism and manage the behavioral needs. He also conducts parent training and operates peer-run support groups for students. Michael is the author of Asperger’s From the Inside-Out: A Supportive and Practical Guide for Anyone with Asperger’s Syndrome, published in 2008.

For more information about the Falmouth Forum lecture series, visit mbl.edu/falmouth-forum or contact the MBL Communications Office at: (508) 289-7423; comm@mbl.edu.

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The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery and improving the human condition through research and education in biology, biomedicine, and environmental science. Founded in 1888 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the MBL is an independent, nonprofit corporation.

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