Emily writes frequently about autism and related issues, and her work has appeared in print or online at Discover, New York Times, Slate, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and others. Emily has a B.A. in English with minors in German and History and a Ph.D. in biological sciences, both from The University of Texas at Austin. She also completed postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco and has taught graduate and undergraduate biology for many years.
Emily Willingham
Science writer
Spectrum
From this contributor
The legacy of Steve Silberman and his book, ‘NeuroTribes’
The writer’s empathic storytelling changed how society—and researchers—view autistic people.
The legacy of Steve Silberman and his book, ‘NeuroTribes’
By
Emily Willingham
26 September 2024 | 8 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 29 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 29 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 29 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
2 November 2018 | 5 min read
Book Review: A mother finds reward in risk
In “The Boy Who Loved Too Much,” a woman tries to cocoon her son, who has Williams syndrome, from life’s insults but later realizes her protective instincts carry dangers of their own.
Book Review: A mother finds reward in risk
By
Emily Willingham
30 October 2018 | 5 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 22 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 22 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 22 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
26 October 2018 | 4 min read
Spotted around the web: Week of 15 October 2018
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 15 October.
Spotted around the web: Week of 15 October 2018
By
Emily Willingham
19 October 2018 | 4 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Future of AI brain models sparks debate
Neuroscientists are divided about whether foundation models that predict brain responses will help the field understand how brains work.
Future of AI brain models sparks debate
Neuroscientists are divided about whether foundation models that predict brain responses will help the field understand how brains work.
By
Natalia Mesa
11 November 2026 | 10 min read
Language development during the first 1,000 days; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 9 November.
Language development during the first 1,000 days; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 9 November.
By
Jill Adams
10 November 2026 | 2 min read
What ‘Brain Flows’ gets right
Michael W. Cole’s new book makes a convincing case that the dynamic movement of signals underpins just about everything the brain does, though it misses mention of relevant theoretical and single-cell work.
What ‘Brain Flows’ gets right
Michael W. Cole’s new book makes a convincing case that the dynamic movement of signals underpins just about everything the brain does, though it misses mention of relevant theoretical and single-cell work.
By
Daniel Graham
10 November 2026 | 6 min read