Beatriz Lopez

Beatriz Lopez is a Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Health and the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences. She holds a BSc in Psychology from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1995) and has held academic positions in the UK since 1997, including roles at the University of Kent, Durham, York St John College, and the University of the West of England before joining Portsmouth in 2008. She founded the Autism Centre for Research on Employment, a collaboration with local authorities and the UK Department of Health, focusing on enhancing employment opportunities for autistic individuals.

Her research interests center on cognitive development in autism, particularly socio-cultural influences, and personalized care strategies. Key themes include heterogeneity in cognitive profiles, mental health recovery, and educational challenges for autistic students. Lopez has published extensively in autism research, with over 30 peer-reviewed articles and contributions to journals like Autism and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has supervised 6 PhD theses and leads projects on neurodiversity, employment policies, and social cognition.

Her work includes evaluating programs like the ACE employment initiative and exploring sensory processing in autism. Lopez collaborates internationally, as seen in studies on Singaporean higher education environments. She is an active member of research networks such as the Centre for Interaction, Development and Diversity.