Dr Louise White is an autistic researcher and teacher whose work focuses on improving educational and post-school outcomes for autistic young people. Her research spans inclusive education, transition preparation and planning, and the factors that support autistic students to thrive during the move from secondary school into adulthood. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, Louise's work centres the perspectives of autistic young people, their families, and educators, with a strong focus on research that has practical relevance for policy, schools, and communities.

Louise is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Australian Autism Knowledge Hub at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, one of Australia's leading autism research institutes. She has played significant roles in nationally important co-produced autism initiatives, including the development of the National Guidance for Best Practice in Inclusive Education for Autistic Students and current projects that support the translation of autism evidence into accessible, evidence-informed resources for educators, families, practitioners, and policymakers. For example, she was part of the team who created Australia's first co-produced, peer-led transition to adulthood support program for autistic young people and their families.

Louise's research is grounded in participatory and strengths-based approaches that recognise autistic people as experts in their own experiences. Louise is particularly interested in understanding what enables positive long-term outcomes for autistic young people, including belonging, wellbeing, participation, and successful transitions into adult life. Through both research and knowledge translation, she is committed to ensuring that evidence is accessible, meaningful, and capable of informing real-world change.

Louise has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international conferences, and received multiple competitive awards recognising the quality, impact, and accessibility of her research. These include the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Postgraduate Student Researcher Award (2025) for her research on autistic students' post-school transitions; Runner-Up in Griffith University's Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition (2025); recognition as a shortlisted finalist in the Reimagining Disability Research Competition (2024); and the inaugural Michael Nathanial Dyer PhD Scholarship (2022), awarded to support doctoral research advancing autism knowledge, particularly in relation to autism in adulthood.

Alongside her research career, Louise is a registered teacher and former school leader with more than a decade of experience across Australian and English education systems. She has taught learners from preschool through to Year 12 and brings a deep understanding of educational practice to her research. This combination of lived experience, research expertise, and extensive classroom experience enables her to bridge the gap between evidence, policy, and practice, helping to ensure that research findings translate into meaningful improvements for autistic young people and those who support them.