Inge-Marie Eigsti, PhD

Inge-Marie Eigsti, PhD, is a professor of clinical psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut and director of research for the Institute for Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Dr. Eigsti received doctoral degrees in clinical psychology and brain and cognitive sciences from the University of Rochester. After completing postdoctoral training in pediatric neuroimaging at Columbia University, she joined the faculty at University of Connecticut. Her research centers on language, communication, and brain development in autism. Her work, described in over 100 peer-reviewed publications, has been federally funded since 2001. Currently, Dr. Eigsti is principal investigator (PI) on the NIDCD-funded CONNECT R01 grant examining conversation and language in autistic teens, co-PI on an NSF training grant focused on neurodiversity and educational neuroscience, co-PI of an NIDCD-funded T32 training grant on the cognitive neuroscience of communication, and site PI on an NCHHD R01 grant examining the efficacy of toddler screening for autism.

Dr. Eigsti has made significant contributions to understanding the intersection of brain development and social-emotional functioning. Her research sheds light on how children with developmental challenges, including autism spectrum disorder, develop language and social skills, emphasizing the importance of early interventions. She is committed to pursuing science that is inclusive of diverse perspectives and experiences and hopes to understand the developmental consequences of autism through the lens of inequity and injustice, reduce barriers to research engagement for communities that have been underrepresented, and ensure opportunities for diverse students.