From Fellow to Faculty member, Mackenzie Salt continues to pave the way for research that centers autistic voices and responds to real-world priorities.
“We have to stop siloing ourselves as academics […], and start collaborating […].” Mackenzie Salt reflects on his time as as a previous Fellow, and current CanNRT Faculty member, highlighting the influence that multidisciplinary collaboration and dialogue has had on his work. Watch the video for more (Noah Leon, Desmond Dyson, 2025).
Salt is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, and a Research Associate at the National Centre for Autism Collaboration. As an autistic researcher, his work is grounded in lived experience and deeply connected to community needs. Through his research, Salt brings attention to the voices of autistic adults, helping shape national policy and research practices that better reflect the realities of those they aim to support.
Alum of CanNRT’s predecessor, the Autism Research Training (ART) program, Salt is now a member of CanNRT Steering Committee, actively contributing to program leadership, teaching, and networking activities. His long-standing commitment to improving quality of life for the autistic community continues to inform his collaborative, national work.
We asked Salt to share more about his current research and how his connection with CanNRT has helped shape it.
How is your work advancing the field of neurodevelopmental research?
Salt: My work focuses on gathering and learning from the experiences from Autistic adults and bringing their needs and experiences to the attention of policymakers and other academics to hopefully spur change and improve all of our understanding of the Autistic adult experience.
How has your experience at CanNRT influenced your work and research to date?
Salt: CanNRT has helped me forge relationships with researchers and trainees across the country, which has been essential as many of my projects are of national scope.
Being able to meet and network with people from across the country in different disciplines, all with the same goal of improving the lives of Autistic Canadians is wonderful.
Being involved in CanNRT has led to many productive collaborations in large-scale projects with great people.
What advice would you give to early career researchers looking to make the most of their CanNRT experience?
Salt: Network as much as possible. Autism research in Canada is a small group and networking is incredibly important.
Also take advantage of any and all professional development opportunities you can—having a breadth of expertise, experiences, and skillsets that others do not have can help you do interesting and impactful things and make you stand out.
Start watching at 1:30:05 to hear from Dr. Mackenzie Salt, autistic researcher and CanNRT Faculty Member, as he shares findings from Canada’s largest survey of autistic adults. His work highlights the need for inclusive policies shaped by lived experience and offers valuable insights for the next generation of researchers.
Stay connected
Stay up to date with Salt’s personal and professional pursuits supporting the autistic community by reading his work/publications and by connecting with him on LinkedIn and X.