Rutgers Autism Center Director Is Honored for Career Contributions to Applied Behavior Analysis
Wayne Fisher’s work and leadership at Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education and Services has cemented the university’s role as a national hub for autism innovation and research excellence
Wayne W. Fisher, director of the Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education and Services (RUCARES) at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) and Henry Rutgers Endowed Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has been awarded the 2025 Brian A. Iwata Award for Career Contributions to Applied Behavior Analysis.
The award, named after a New Jersey–born psychologist recognized for his work in behavior analysis and presented by the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, is one of the highest honors in the field. Fisher is its first living recipient.
The award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional, sustained contributions to research and practice in applied behavior analysis and significantly improved quality of life through their work. It honors not only academic excellence but also innovation, mentorship and translational impact.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected for this award,” Fisher said. “Throughout my career, I have regarded Brian Iwata as a role model, and to receive this award that bears his name is quite special. I have accepted it not only for myself, but also on behalf of all the talented staff members and colleagues who collaborated with me over the years because what we do truly requires a team effort.”
Fisher is internationally recognized for pioneering research in autism and developmental disabilities and for building highly regarded clinical-research programs at institutions, including the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Marcus Autism Center at the Emory University School of Medicine, and the Kennedy Krieger Institute at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Fisher’s methodologically sophisticated research has focused on several intersecting lines, including mathematical models of behavior, preference assessment, choice responding, and the assessment and treatment of autism and severe behavior disorders. His work has been especially notable for the creative use of concurrent schedules of reinforcement, which have become more commonplace in clinical research primarily because of his influence.
He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in 30-plus behavioral and medical journals and has had near-continuous federal grant support for more than two decades. His contributions extend to leadership and mentorship, having served as editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and president of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. He has received multiple awards for his translational research and student mentorship.
Recruited by the BHI, Fisher leads RUCARES, a center committed to coordinating and fostering basic and clinical research focused on diagnosing and supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The goal of the center is to develop a world-class autism research center engaged in cutting-edge basic research to identify mechanisms and biomarkers, develop novel interventional behavioral therapies, and create technologies and services to support both pediatric and adult autism spectrum disorder patient populations.
Rutgers has had a long and storied history of innovative research, educational and clinical programs focused on autism, of which RUCARES is an important part, and I am so thankful for being given the opportunity to serve as its inaugural director.
Wayne Fisher
Director, Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education and Services
“Rutgers has had a long and storied history of innovative research, educational and clinical programs focused on autism, of which RUCARES is an important part, and I am so thankful for being given the opportunity to serve as its inaugural director,” Fisher said.
Rutgers has more than 50 principal investigators working to develop new autism treatments. In the five years of RUCARES existence, National Institutes of Health funding for autism-related research at Rutgers has increased more than sevenfold. RUCARES also has partnered with Children’s Specialized Hospital in Somerset, N.J. to improve the health outcomes for New Jersey individuals and families affected by autism. Fisher leads the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence grant award from the New Jersey Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism.
“Autism is a complex and heterogeneous set of neurodevelopmental disorders with common core symptoms,” Fisher said. “Addressing the complexity and heterogeneity of autism requires large multidisciplinary and multicenter research efforts, and Rutgers is well positioned to lead such endeavors.”
