Research & Advocacy
Currently based in Okinawa, Japan, I am dedicated to fostering a better understanding of neurodivergent people in Okinawa, Japan, and worldwide. Specifically, I am actively advocating for improved understanding and support regarding the mental and physical health challenges among neurodivergent people through research and public engagements. My research methodology involves co-production with neurodivergent individuals, utilizing a transdiagnostic approach.
Last updated in April 2024
KEY RESEARCH SKILLS
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Proficient in designing and conducing systematic reviews of quantitative and qualitative data
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Experienced in designing, conducting, and analyzing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies (e.g., regressions, t-tests, reflexive thematic analysis, content analysis)
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Demonstrated ability in effectively recruiting a substantial number of research participants (e.g., my PhD research included over 200 participants)
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Adept at collaborating with international research teams across the world
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Accomplished in delivering engaging presentations to diverse audiences, encompassing both academia and the general public
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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Founder of Valtameri, a global advocacy organization dedicated to neurodivergent individuals and their families. Valtameri provides tailored support through Specialist Mentoring and public lectures. Founded in March 2023, Valtameri emerged from my leadership at the previous Grace Center for Autism, where I advocated for two years. Our mission is to create a world where neurodivergent people and their families feel heard, understood, accepted, and supported. More information is available at Valtameri's website: https://valtamerigrace.wixsite.com/valtameri.
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Founder of the first-ever Autistic Peer Group (APG) at University College London (UCL). I established APG from scratch in January 2019 and facilitated the group until January 2020. Leadership was subsequently passed to the next generation. APG remains a vital component of the current Autism Society at UCL, providing a sense of belonging and connection for autistic students.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
August, 2023
Scholarship from the Ehlers-Danlos Society to virtually attend the 2023 Global Learning Conference in Dublin, Ireland, August 2–5, 2023 – Application made for virtually attending an annual largest conference on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and related conditions.
July 2023
1st place Academist Prize - eight researchers were selected to participate in a scheme called Academist Prize to maximize their research impacts in Japan.
May 2017, September 2016
Counselling Psychology Award by Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, USA – Award was made by the university based on academic performances and attitudes
June 2014
Umeko Scholarship with Academic Merit by Tsuda College, Japan – Award was made annually to two students out of about 250 students based on academic excellence and characters.
June 2013
The Special Prize from the Judges in the Six-University English Speech Competition in Japan - Award was made to a student with excellent speech deliverance and contents.
MEDIA APPEARANCES
Scheduled in June 2024
Invited to the multi-award-winning podcast "Beyond 6 Seconds" to discuss neurodivergence from the perspectives of both a researcher and an individual with lived experiences in Japan, the UK, and the USA.
July 2021 – present
Featured in an upcoming book, Nine Minds, by a best-selling author and well-known autistic savant, Daniel Tammet. Nine Minds explores the inner life of nine neurodivergent individuals including myself. Others featured in the book include some notable figures such as Dan Akroyd. https://www.andrewlownie.co.uk/authors/daniel-tammet/books/nine-minds
November 2020
Interviewed by BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service for a documentary on autism, women and diagnostic process. https://bbc.in/33f8GKu
September 2020
Interviewed by Quest (a major Dutch science magazine) about autism in Japan.
June 2020
Featured in the article by Spectrum as an autistic scientist redefining autism research. The article was also shared on the Scientist. https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/meet-the-autistic-scientists-redefining-autism-research/
PUBLICATIONS (* joint first author)
Please note that I have previously published under my legal last name, Umagami, and more recently started to publish under my preferred last name, Grace.
Peer reviewed journal articles
Grace, K., Remington, A., Davies, J., & Crane, L. (in preparation). “Trapped in a no-win situation”: exploring the Unique Experiences of Loneliness in Autistic Adults.
Han, E., Scior, K., Grace, K., Heath, E., Dufresne, S., & Crane, L. (2024). ‘Who, When, How to Share’: Pilot study of a new disclosure decision-making programme for autistic adults. Autism, 13623613231221685. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231221685
Dexter, S., Grace, K., Quinnell, S.-L., Surrey, A., & Crane, L. (2024). Towards ‘A Level Playing Field’: A Participatory Study of Autistic University Students’ Experiences with Academic Support in England. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 1-16. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2024.2317475
Grace, K., Remington, A., Davies, J., & Crane, L. (2023). Evaluating measures to assess loneliness in autistic adults. Autism, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231217056
Han, E., Scior, K., Heath, E. L., Umagami, K., & Crane, L. (2023). Development of stigma-related support for autistic adults: insights from the autism community. Autism. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221143590
Grace, K., Remington, A., Lloyd-Evans, B., Davies, J., & Crane, L. (2022). Loneliness in autistic adults: A systematic review. Autism, 26(8), 2117–2135. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221077721
Doctoral thesis
Umagami, K. (2023). Towards a better understanding of loneliness in autistic adults: examining measurement tools and lived experiences [Doctoral thesis, University College London]. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10164705/
Media articles
Umagami. K., (2023). Loneliness in Autistic Adults. Campaign to End Loneliness. https://tacklinglonelinesshub.org/loneliness-in-autistic-adults/
Davies, J., Han, E., & Umagami, K.* (2021, December). “Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults” – a review. Centre for Research in Autism and Education. https://crae.ioe.ac.uk/portfolio/avoiding-anxiety-in-autistic-adults-a-review/
Ashworth, M., Umagami, K.*, Malyan, D., & Pryke-Hobbes, A. (2021, April). “Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Guide for Autistic Wellbeing”. The British Psychological Society. https://www.bps.org.uk/volume-34/may/putting-autistic-children-centre
PRESENTATIONS (* invited speaker)
Please note that I have previously given presentations using my legal last name, Umagami, and more recently started to present using my preferred last name, Grace.
Conference presentations
Love, A. M. A., Edwards, C., Cai, R. Y., Grace, K., Toland, M. T., Dueber, D., Lim, M., & Gibbs, V. (scheduled in May, 2024). Responding to calls for accessible surveys: Psychometric evidence for an adaptation of a loneliness scale for autistic adults. The International Society for Autism Research annual meeting 2024, Melbourne, Australia.
Grace, K.* (scheduled in 2024, March). Neurodiversity and inclusive communication (provisional title) [keynote presentation]. Inclusive Communication Symposium 2024, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan.
Grace, K.*, Matsuda, M. (scheduled in 2024, March). [featured panel]. Inclusive Communication Symposium 2024, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan.
Love, A.M.A., Edwards, C., Grace, K., Cai, R.Y., Gibbs, Vicki. (November, 2023). [oral presentation] Adaptation of a Loneliness Scale for Autistic Adults. Ending Loneliness Together Research Symposium, Sydney, Australia.
Umagami, K.* (2023, May). Loneliness in autistic adults [keynote presentation]. Annual Research Webinar. Loneliness and Social Isolation Mental Health Research Network at University College London funded by the UK Research and Innovation, London, UK.
Umagami, K. (2023, March). Autistic adults’ views on commonly-used measures for assessing loneliness: an online survey [Poster presentation]. ITAKOM (it takes all kinds of minds), Edinburgh, UK.
Umagami, K. (2022, June). Loneliness in autistic adults: a systematic review. [Pre-recorded video presentation]. UCL’s Loneliness and Social Isolation Research Network Summer Showcase Symposium, London, UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRH9yqe4JyQ&t=11s
Umagami, K. (2021, July). Loneliness in autistic adults: a systematic review. [Panel session]. Autistica Research Festival 2021: Mental Health, London, UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3iD1ddTMJg&t=3729s
Umagami, K. (2017, April). The chemistry between autistic people and horses. [Poster presentation]. Student Research Conference at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, USA.
Public Engagement
Grace , K.* (2024, January). Unmasking the Invisible Struggles: Navigating Neurodivergence and Co-Occurring Challenges [public lecture]. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan. https://groups.oist.jp/ganjuu/event/unmasking-invisible-struggles-navigating-neurodivergence-and-co-occurring-challenges
Grace, K.* (2023, July). Autism as an invisible disability: What you see is NOT everything [public lecture]. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, Japan. https://groups.oist.jp/ganjuu/event/autism-invisible-disability-what-you-see-not-everything
Webinars
Grace, K.* (scheduled in 2024, May). Loneliness in autistic adults: what we know and what we can do about It [Webinar]. UCL’s Group for Research in Relationships and Neurodiversity (GRRAND), London, UK.
Grace, K.* (December, 2023). AI and Neurodiversity [Webinar]. Academist, Tokyo, Japan.
Grace, K.*, Lim, M., Love, A. (2023, October). Loneliness and autism [Webinar]. Autism Spectrum Australia, Sydney, Australia.
Brede, J., Russell, A., Umagami, K.*, Harper, G. (2023, January). Autistic adults' experiences in mental health services [Webinar]. Autistica, London, UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrXf5vW0rpg&t=2135s
Lab meetings/seminars
Umagami, K*. (2023, April). Towards a better understanding of loneliness in autistic adults: examining measurement tools and lived experiences [Oral presentation]. Autism ResearCH (ARCH) seminar at King's College London, London, UK.
Umagami, K. (2023, March). Towards a better understanding of loneliness in autistic adults: examining measurement tools and lived experiences [Oral presentation]. CRAE lab meeting, London, UK.
Umagami, K. (2021, April). Qualitative study on experiences of loneliness among autistic adults [Oral presentation]. CRAE lab meeting, London, UK.
Umagami, K. (2019, November). Loneliness in autism. [Oral presentation]. CRAE lab meeting, London, UK.
Umagami, K. (2018, December). Loneliness in autism. [Oral presentation]. CRAE lab meeting, London, UK.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE (*invited trainer/lecturer)
Graduate Teaching
November 2023*
Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, UCL, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
Invited to deliver training courses on co-production for the Masters in Public Health students.
October 2021 – September 2022
Social Research Institute at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society
Postgraduate Teaching Assistant for several different modules (online). Tasks as a TA included marking multiple choice questions for the undergraduate module on Foundations in Psychology II.
Neurodiversity Training
Scheduled in 2024, July*
Autism Spectrum Australia
Invited to give a training session on loneliness and sociality in autistic adults for therapists who work with autistic adults.
November 2021*
Optimum Student Support
Invited to provide a training video on sociality in autism as part of their training course for Specialist Autism Mentors (i.e., autistic/non-autistic mentors who have been trained in the field of autism).
Mentoring
May 2020 - present
Specialist Mentor for neurodivergent people (freelance)
Providing one-to-one individualized support for neurodivergent children, young people, and adults (e.g., pre-/post-diagnostic support, time management and planning, building study routine).
ACADEMIC SERVICE
December 2023 - present
International Advisor for Neurodivergence and Co-Production at SEDSConnective, UK. This appointment was followed by a personal invitation from the Chair of SEDSConnective, Jane Green, MBE. SEDSConnective is a renowned charity dedicated to advocating for neurodivergent people and those with symptomatic hypermobility.
June 2023 - present
Peer-reviewer for journals (e.g., Autism, Research in Special Educational Needs, Autism in Adulthood, and Campbell Systematic Review)
June 2023 – present
A steering group member at the Embracing Complexity, a coalition of over 60 organisations in the UK, which aims to conduct/disseminate research to better understand the complexity in neurodivergent people and to make the society more inclusive of them.
April 2022 – present
Expert Review Panel (ERP) member at Autistica. I review research applications to Autistica’s funding rounds throughout the year. The ERP helps ensure that Autistica funds research that is ethical, that aligns with the perspectives and values of the autism community, and that will lead to perspectives and values of the autism community, and that will lead to benefits for autistic people and their allies.
COLLABORATIONS
January 2024 – December 2024
Co-researcher
Co-researcher in a cross-cultural study examining stigma experienced by autistic people in Japan, USA, and South Korea. My involvement was initiated through a personal invitation from the Principal Investigator.
June 2023 – present
Collaborator
Co-researcher on a research project to investigate suicidality among autistic adults, a role I undertook following a personal invitation from the Principal Investigator.
June 2023 - present
Research Partner
Research partner with Autism Spectrum Australia on a project to adapt a measure of loneliness for autistic adults. My involvement was a direct result of an invitation from the research team at Autism Spectrum Australia, extending the scope of one of my doctoral studies. More information on this project is available here: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/about-autism/our-research/loneliness
June 2023 – July 2023
Collaborator
Research consultant for co-designing a digital guide for supermarkets. This Sensory Street project led by researchers at University of Reading and University of Durham.
October 2021 – present
Co-production consultant
UCL’s Co-Production Collective Community Area Pioneer to create an inclusive online community space for co-production.
September 2021 - present
Collaborator
Research collaborator for an intervention study of diagnostic disclosure decision-making for autistic adults led by Emeline Han, a PhD student at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society.
September 2021
Consultant
Research consultant for research on self-compassion among autistic women led by Nancy Da Silva at Canterbury Christ Church University.
May 2021 - September 2021
Collaborator
Research collaborator for the SoRA (Statement of Reasonable Adjustment) project led by Sam Dexter (Master’s student at the time of the project) at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, aiming to explore the experiences that autistic students have at UCL with their SoRA.
RESEARCH NETWORKS
October 2023 - present
A member of the Community Against Prejudice Towards Autistic People (CAPTAP) led by Dr Monique Botha and Dr Eilidh Cage at the University of Stirling and Kayden Stockwell from the University of Virginia.
January 2022 – December 2022
A member of the Mental Health Study Group at Autistica which aims to improve research on autism and mental health. The group was led by Professor Emily Simonoff and involved 10 other members including world-leading autism researchers such as Prof. Ailsa Russell, Dr Sarah Cassidy, and Prof. Jacqui Rodgers.
October 2018 – present
A member of UCL’s Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health Network.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
July 2023 - present
Helping the UCL’s Co-Production Collective to communicate their work on co-production with wider community in an accessible way (as a member of the Communication Sub Group of the UCL’s Co-Production Collective).
July 2023
Delivered a talk on autism and neurodiversity, entitled “autism as an invisible disability: what you see is NOT everything” at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) (in English and Japanese).
October 2019
Supported the visualization of brain waves using Muse headsets at the UCL’s It’s All Academic.
January 2019 -January 2020
I founded and facilitated the first-ever Autistic Peer Group at UCL (UCL Autism Society) in January 2019. I facilitated the group till January 2020 when I passed the leadership to the next generation.