{"id":77603,"date":"2026-04-15T08:41:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T15:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=77603"},"modified":"2026-04-15T08:41:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T15:41:29","slug":"autism-awareness-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/autism-awareness-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing students and transforming workplace culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recognition of\u00a0Autism Awareness Month,\u00a0<\/span>Landi Morris<\/span><\/b>, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting, shared her experience as an autistic person working in accounting. She hopes her experiences and research may break down stigmas and stereotypes about autism and help neurodivergent students prepare for the workforce.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morris was diagnosed as an adult, and through college, she faced unique challenges. She said the intense social dynamics inherent to the college experience wreaked havoc on her nervous system and made her feel like she couldn\u2019t keep up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was constantly rotating between classes, work and social gatherings,\u201d Morris said. \u201cWithout a diagnosis at the time, I lacked the self-awareness to understand that the pervasive social interactions were negatively impacting my nervous system. In addition, as a high-masking autistic person, I expended a considerable amount of effort attempting to fit into all social settings. I essentially spent four years in a state of dysregulated burnout. This burnout resulted in multiple autistic shutdowns, but because I was undiagnosed, I didn\u2019t have the language to describe what I was going through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Once she graduated, the workforce came with more social demands and communication strategies she was not ready to navigate. Every day, she was required to engage with peers, supervisors and clients. She said she was in constant people-pleasing mode, struggling to recognize and prioritize her own needs. As a result of these experiences, helping other neurodivergent individuals prepare for these unforeseen factors has been a driving force of her research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy research might be a little bit different from what is typically pursued in FCB,\u201d Morris said. \u201cBefore I worked in academia, I experienced many challenges as a neurodivergent person working in public accounting.\u00a0\u00a0Through my research, I hope to change the industry for the better so that others do not experience the same struggles. I want my research to be impactful.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An\u00a0article\u00a0she recently\u00a0authored\u00a0in The CPA Journal,\u00a0\u201c<\/span>The Autistic Accountant<\/span><\/a>,\u201d does exactly that. It narrates Morris\u2019 experiences in public accounting before she was diagnosed, offering high-level information about autism as well as insights for public accounting firms about potential perceptions of belonging by neurodivergent individuals. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote this piece to give voice to the autistic experience,\u201d Morris said. \u201cDespite the personal vulnerability involved, I felt it was important to share an underrepresented perspective on the public accounting experience. Since the work was published, other autistic folks working in public accounting have reached out to thank me for sharing my story. For sharing their story, really. This feedback made the vulnerability that accompanied the publication worthwhile. It’s incredibly rewarding to engage in scholarship that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of people working in my field.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Using research to drive change<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently,\u00a0Morris\u00a0is working on\u00a0identifying\u00a0areas of challenge for neurodivergent individuals\u00a0working in\u00a0both\u00a0higher education and\u00a0public accounting. Her research attempts to make practical suggestions, for both individuals\u00a0and\u00a0employers, to help neurodivergent employees thrive in the workplace.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn academia, the job market process is one that every Ph.D. graduate must go through to find a job,\u201d Morris said. \u201cThe process is laborious. You are engaging in interviews and meeting with people nonstop for days. I consider the job market experience through the lens of a neurodivergent person and make suggestions that might allow them to be more comfortable and, by extension, perform better in the interview process. For example, hiring committees could select a couple of social activities instead of requiring that folks spend the entirety of the interview socializing and getting overwhelmed by the experience as a result.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She said the basis of her suggestions is to not assume that all people thrive in the same circumstances, but instead to ask people what they need to succeed. Many of her recommendations benefit everyone, not just those who are neurodivergent. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI liken my suggestions to the creation of sidewalk access for wheelchair users,\u201d Morris said. \u201cThe ramp was designed for that specific need, but it can be useful for everyone, like mothers with strollers or bicyclists.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Providing students with more\u00a0than technical skills<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to her research on the neurodivergent experience, Morris hopes to prepare neurodivergent students for the gamut of social challenges and unwritten rules they might face when they enter the workforce.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a responsibility as educators not only to educate students on the technical component of their jobs but also on all the other parts,\u201d Morris said. \u201cIn many ways, life after graduation is less structured than in a college setting. You are no longer required to attend classes or submit assignments, but now you have responsibilities at work, and the criteria for success are often less clearly defined. This can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals for whom clear expectations are critical. In addition, success in the workplace is often determined not only by technical performance, but also by social inputs, such as relationships with colleagues and clients. Social interactions can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent folks.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morris added that the lack of structure in the workplace might create an opportunity for some, since many neurodivergent individuals thrive with autonomy, and life after graduation provides ample opportunity to build a life and career that works for each person\u2019s strengths and needs. The keys are understanding your sensory limits, learning how to regulate after periods of intense social interaction and setting boundaries in the workplace.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building community<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morris is not only trying to help students adapt, but she is also helping her NAU colleagues by creating a community for neurodivergent faculty and staff to share their experiences and talk about challenges they are facing. The NAU Alliance for Neurodivergent Faculty and Staff was created by Morris and two fellow neurodivergent faculty and staff members on campus. Together, they developed a space for neurodivergent individuals to gather in the workplace.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe meet once a month by Zoom to share our experiences as neurodivergent individuals at NAU,\u201d Morris said. \u201cParticipants have shared that they are grateful for the space to connect and be their\u00a0 authentic selves. We encourage participation in whatever form folks are comfortable with. They can use the chat to type their contributions; they don\u2019t have to use the camera. Providing these alternative forms of engagement can also be modeled in other spaces on campus.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morris said\u00a0she chose to share her diagnosis because she believes it is misunderstood.\u00a0Most\u00a0research about the autistic experience is not conducted by people\u00a0who are autistic.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis, combined with significant changes to how we define and measure autism over time, has led to general confusion and stereotypes about the neurotype,\u201d Morris said. \u201cThe stigma around the diagnosis feels particularly prevalent in the business community. I don\u2019t believe that being autistic is something that I should be ashamed of or something that I should have to keep to myself. I hope that by sharing my story, I can normalize being open about neurotypes in the workplace. I hope to educate the NAU community about the autistic experience and hopefully improve this experience for others.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Northern<\/a>Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
\n(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In recognition of\u00a0Autism Awareness Month,\u00a0Landi Morris, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting, shared her experience as an autistic person working in accounting. She hopes her experiences and research may break down stigmas and stereotypes about autism and help neurodivergent students prepare for the workforce.\u00a0 \u00a0 Morris was diagnosed as an…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":77604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-staff"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/100"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}