Maya Arun is a student at Cupertino High School in the United States. She has participated in both Math Olympiad and Science Olympiad, and was a finalist at the SCJFL Debate Tournament. Maya also received the Athens Debate Director’s Platinum Award for Outstanding Excellence and is a member of the Middle School Honour Society.
At the CCIR Academy, Maya’s research paper, The Effects of Autism on Emotion Recognition in Children, has been accepted at the Asia Pacific Autism Conference (APAC 2025). Her paper explores how Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can affect children’s ability to recognise emotions through verbal and visual cues. It examines theories related to reduced eye contact and differences in interpreting contextual and facial signals, while also discussing interventions aimed at improving emotional understanding in children with ASD.
Hosted by the Autism Association of Western Australia on behalf of the Australian Advisory Board on Autism, the Asia Pacific Autism Conference (APAC 2025) brings together autistic individuals, researchers, educators, and policymakers under the theme “Creating and Inspiring the Future Together.” The conference provides a platform for sharing research, experiences, and approaches that can contribute to a better understanding of autism.
Congratulations to Maya on this achievement!
