When Dr. Giacomo Vivanti talks about autism research, he聽doesn鈥檛聽start with laboratories or data sets. He begins with the simple premise that autism can and should co-exist with a happy, fulfilling life.
That belief sits at the heart of his work, and now, at the centre of his new role as 9 1免费版下鈥檚 Joan and Jack Craig Chair in Autism Research. Dr. Vivanti聽is focused on one of the most pressing challenges facing children聽with autism聽and their families today: bridging the gap between what science knows and what families聽actually experience.
鈥淲e know much more about autism now than we did a decade ago,鈥� he explains. 鈥淏ut many families still struggle to access the right support at the right time.鈥�
We know much more about autism now than we did a decade ago, but many families still struggle.
For Joan Craig, this work is deeply personal. Joan and her late husband, Jack Craig, founded after raising their son, Bob, who聽lives with聽autism, at a time when information, services, and supports were scarce. Their lived experience as parents shaped a lifelong commitment to improving understanding of autism and ensuring that families have access to聽timely, evidence-based聽supports.聽
In 2001, the Craigs took a bold step by endowing what was then Canada鈥檚 first university-based Chair in Autism Research at 9 1免费版下, laying the groundwork for decades of research, innovation, and system change in Nova Scotia and beyond.聽
鈥淚 am thrilled that Dr. Vivanti has been appointed as the Joan and Jack Craig Chair in Autism Research,鈥� says Joan Craig. 鈥淗is experience and leadership history are very impressive. The Craig Foundation looks forward to continuing a strong relationship with 9 1免费版下, where more groundbreaking research will support families and persons on the Autism聽spectrum.鈥�
Closing the gaps that shape lives
Despite major advances in autism research, outcomes for many autistic individuals聽remain聽shaped by long waitlists, fragmented systems, and services that聽don鈥檛聽always reflect individual needs.聽Vivanti聽points to preventable challenges that persist聽into聽adulthood聽such as聽limited communication, fewer educational and employment opportunities, and increased risks for physical and mental health conditions.聽
鈥淭hese are outcomes that can be avoided聽and聽mitigated,鈥� says Dr. Vivanti.
His research focuses on closing these gaps by connecting early identification of autism with聽timely, high-quality, and individualized intervention.聽
What works for one child doesn鈥檛 work for another child.
鈥淲hat works for one child doesn鈥檛 work for another child,鈥� he says.聽
鈥淪o,聽I鈥檓聽trying to connect science to action. How聽can we聽use聽research聽to improve the聽overarching聽system so that all children, including the ones who are marginalized due to their complex needs, can have a fulfilling life.鈥澛�
Why early matters
One of the clearest disconnects between research and practice, Dr. Vivanti聽says, lies in early diagnosis. Scientifically, autism can often be detected by a child鈥檚 second birthday.聽In reality, the聽average age of diagnosis is much later.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a gap,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd we can fill that gap.鈥�
Instead of a system that waits for certainty, Dr. Vivanti聽advocates for one that聽anticipates聽need聽by supporting families as soon as concerns arise, rather than asking them to 鈥渨ait and see.鈥� Waiting, he notes, often leads to an escalation of challenges that could have been prevented.聽
In his new role as Chair,聽beginning August 1, 2026,聽Dr. Vivanti hopes to continue聽developing and testing early intervention programs delivered in聽a variety of settings, including聽daycares and preschools, embedding support directly into children鈥檚 everyday environments.聽
鈥淣ot necessarily in a health-care setting, but in an educational setting,鈥� he explains,聽making services more accessible and more responsive to real life.
Empowering families as experts
Dr.聽Vivanti鈥檚 commitment to family-centred聽care is deeply personal. He grew up with two brothers on the autism spectrum and saw firsthand how families鈥� concerns were once dismissed, and children blamed for 鈥榖ad聽behaviour鈥�.聽
鈥淩esponses like that聽reflect聽a bias that unfortunately sometimes still exists,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he idea that the expert knows everything and families don鈥檛 know anything.鈥�
In reality, he聽says, families are聽the true聽experts on their children.聽
鈥淭hey know a child better than anybody else,鈥� he says. 鈥淔amilies are going to tell us everything we need to know as professionals to build the support system that is needed.鈥�
That philosophy underpins his approach to research and system design,聽particularly when it comes to addressing inequities across socioeconomic, racial, and cultural lines. Trust, he notes, is not evenly distributed across systems, and those barriers must be acknowledged and addressed.聽
A rare moment,聽and a rare opportunity
For聽Dr.聽Vivanti, the Joan and Jack Craig Chair聽represents聽a powerful convergence of opportunity, responsibility, and timing.
鈥淲e are at a moment where the science is very strong, the聽needs are clear, and the systems are actively evolving,鈥� he says, pointing to Nova Scotia鈥檚 Provincial Preschool Autism Services as a real-world transformation already underway.
We are at a moment where the science is very strong, the聽needs are clear, and the systems are actively evolving.
鈥淭o me, this聽Chair is an opportunity to ensure this transformation is guided by the best available science and shaped by the needs of families and communities.鈥澛�
By embedding research directly into service delivery,聽Dr.聽Vivanti aims to document outcomes, refine practices, and inform policy decisions,聽locally and beyond.聽
鈥淭he local experience is going to become a model globally,鈥� he says.
Impact that lasts
Dr.聽Vivanti emphasizes that endowed聽Chairs like this one do more than support individual projects 鈥� they make sustained, systems-level change possible.聽
鈥淲hat鈥檚 behind this is not just generosity, but vision,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ndowed聽Chairs provide the stability and resources that are needed to pursue ambitious long-term goals.鈥澛�
That long view matters, he says, because early, effective support is not a聽cost,聽it鈥檚聽an investment.
鈥淚nvesting early means a big return on the investment,鈥� he explains, pointing to reduced need for long-term聽supports聽and improved quality of life across the lifespan.
Ultimately, the聽goal is broader than any single program or province. 鈥淚f we get this right, Nova Scotia has the potential to become a global leader in how autism services are designed聽and聽delivered,聽backed by聽science,鈥澛燚r.聽Vivanti says.聽
And at the centre of that vision is a future where autistic individuals,聽especially those who have been historically underserved,聽are supported to thrive.
鈥淭his is an investment in human potential and societal impact,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ecause when children聽with autism聽are empowered to communicate, to be engaged, and to have the same opportunities as others, they contribute in their unique ways to the well-being of everybody.鈥�