Meet Dr. Lavinia Uscatescu

I am a Psychologist by training, with a long-standing research interest in autism and connected topics. Since moving to Virginia Tech, in January 2024, I have expanded the scope of my research to include more applied areas such as the application of universal design principles to creating neurodiversity-inclusive environments.

At Virginia Tech I found a welcoming and supportive environment, with amazing colleagues and mentors. I could not have asked for a better place to take on the first faculty appointment of my career.

My interest in autism began very early on in my undergraduate studies, when I had the opportunity to train as a therapist working with autistic children. What fascinated me was how diverse autistic people are and how unique their set of skills and features is. This also subsequently spurred my research interest on this topic.

Autism and more generally, neurodiversity, covers a diverse palette of traits. As one autistic friend of mine put it, "if you've met one autistic person, you've met ONE autistic person". This means that each neurodivergent individual presents with unique strengths which are unfortunately often overlooked in most areas of our society, from the school setting to the employment landscape. I wish more people would adopt a strength-based perspective, as opposed to the traditional deficit-based approach, when interacting with their neurodivergent family members, peers, colleagues, employees, or students.

Having the intellectual freedom to explore the research topics that interest me is what I like most about my job. I also greatly value the fact that my work gives meaning to my life as it offers me the opportunity to promote positive change around me.

The best advice that I received and that I apply to both my personal and professional life is to always consider alternative points of view and interpretations before reaching a conclusion.

I think my cognitive style was always suitable for a scientific career, as I was always inquisitive and curious about a variety of topics. As soon as I had the opportunity to become involved in research projects, as an undergraduate student, I knew with certainty that this career path was a good fit for me.

I enjoy drawing, and I've had this hobby since I was first able to hold a pencil in my hand. After I started college, I no longer dedicated as much time to this, but am now being again more intentional about setting time aside for drawing. I also greatly enjoy reading, and I do this every day. My latest hobby includes circus arts, such as aerial yoga and lyra hoop, and I do these at least once a week.

I would like to visit Australia, Japan, and Alaska. I have never been to either of these places, but each of them attracts me in unique ways.

This is a fun fact because it can lead to socially awkward situations, which I have learned to accept and laugh about with my husband. I am really bad at recognizing people's faces, so I often introduce myself twice to people I've already met. By contrast, my husband is a super face recognizer, which further enhances the hilarity of our social interactions.