Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research

03/04/2026

🖼️ Hope to see you this week at First Friday Art Trail! 🎨 We’ll be at LHUCA Icehouse hosting a table and providing information about our services. We’d love to connect with you! More info below ⬇️

03/02/2026

👟 Become a Leader of the Burkhart Walk for Autism and help ensure that these services, opportunities, and advocacy efforts continue!

As a Leader, you will
☑️ Receive space and table provided at the Walk to share information
☑️ Hear your name announced at the Walk
☑️ See your logo on the Burkhart Center website*
☑️ Display your banner at the Walk (must be provided)
☑️ See your logo printed on Walk promotional materials
☑️ Receive recognition on Burkhart Center social platforms
☑️ See your logo printed on 2026 Walk T-Shirt*
☑️ Have a 1 minute speaking opportunity prior to the Walk
*There is limited space on the website and shirt for logos.

🤩 Don’t forget to join us March 29 from 2-4 PM at the Fuller Track & Field Complex for the Walk!

02/23/2026

👟 Become a Advocate of the Burkhart Walk for Autism and help ensure that these services, opportunities, and advocacy efforts continue!

As an Advocate, you will
☑️ Receive space and table provided at the Walk to share information
☑️ Hear your name announced at the Walk
☑️ See your logo on the Burkhart Center website*
☑️ Display your banner at the Walk (must be provided)
☑️ See your logo printed on Walk promotional materials
☑️ Receive recognition on Burkhart Center social platforms
☑️ See your logo printed on 2026 Walk T-Shirt*
☑️ Have a 1 minute speaking opportunity prior to the Walk
☑️ Be named “Top Advocate” for the Burkhart Center
*There is limited space on the website and shirt for logos.

🤩 Don’t forget to join us March 29 from 2-4 PM at the Fuller Track & Field Complex for the Walk!

02/13/2026

💋🐍 Meet Trixie – Our Most Sssssssensational Fundraiser! 🐍💋

Trixie is a 14-year-old ball python and a proud member of "Team Burkhart Center" 💖 Leading up to Valentine’s Day, Trixie hosted his very own Kisssssssing Booth and raised an incredible $150 in support of the Burkhart Center’s mission!

Now he’s helping us gear up for our Annual Burkhart Center Walk on March 29, showing that advocacy and inclusion come in all forms (and scales 🐍).

Thank you, Trixie, for reminding us that even the quietest team members can make a BIG impact. 💕

📅 Join us on March 29
👟 Walk with us
❤️ Support our families
🐍 Cheer on Team Burkhart Center (and all other teams who join us that day!)

02/04/2026

👟 Registration is now open for the 2026 Burkhart Walk for Autism! More details below ⬇️

01/30/2026

Thank you for your continued support, Bryant Blakemore! We truly appreciate you and all that you do for our center. We look forward to seeing you on March 29th at our annual Burkhart Walk for Autism as we come together to support individuals and families in our community.

To learn more about the event:
👉 https://www.depts.ttu.edu/burkhartcenter/families/autism_walk.php

01/20/2026

🎉 Celebrating Dr. Katy Wheeler ’24! 🎓❤️🖤

We are proud to highlight Dr. Katy Wheeler ’24, who completed her PhD while working at the Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research. Her scholarship reflects a deep commitment to family-centered, evidence-based autism intervention.

📖 New Publication Highlight

Dr. Wheeler is the lead author on a newly published article in Child & Family Behavior Therapy, co-authored with several, including Drs. Hamrick and Banda and former Burkhart postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Sam Hilbert.

The study examined the effects of Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) on autistic children’s preverbal communication skills (e.g., gestures and joint attention), and parents’ linguistic behaviors that support language development.

🔗 Read the full article:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07317107.2025.2598327

👏 Congratulations, Dr. Wheeler! We are proud to celebrate your scholarship and the impact it continues to have on families and the autism community.

There is a need for innovative language interventions for autistic children that target critical language-building blocks. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and its Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) ...

01/12/2026

Save the date! The 2026 Burkhart Walk for Autism will be March 29th from 2-4pm at the Fuller Track & Field Complex!

This year's theme is BREAKING BARRIERS

01/09/2026

📢 New Publication Alert!

We are excited to share our latest research exploring how under-resourced and rural schools can leverage the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help mitigate limited access to educational resources. This work highlights practical pathways for integrating AI to support special education teachers in enhancing their instructional impact and effectiveness for students who need it most.

We are incredibly proud of our dedicated team whose collaboration and commitment made this contribution possible — advancing research that directly supports educators and learners in rural communities.

In recent years, public education, along with many other professional disciplines, has seen an explosion in the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Many new AI...

01/05/2026

There are still plenty of spots open for ACEing Autism spring tennis clinics! Sign up today!

🎾 Register now for the ACEing Autism spring tennis clinics!

https://aceingautism.org/programs/lubbock-tx/

12/24/2025

The Burkhart Center will be closed for the Texas Tech University holiday break from December 24th through January 2nd. We will reopen on January 5th.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!

12/15/2025

🎾 Register now for the ACEing Autism spring tennis clinics!

https://aceingautism.org/programs/lubbock-tx/