Thomas S. Higbee

Dr. Thomas S. Higbee is a Professor and Department Head in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling at Utah State University (USU), where he has served since 2002. He is also the Executive Director of the Autism Support Services: Education, Research, and Training (ASSERT) program, an early intensive behavioral intervention program for children with autism that he founded in 2003. He holds a PhD in Psychology-Behavior Analysis and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in Utah.

His educational background includes a PhD from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a focus on behavior analysis, and a BA in Psychology from USU. He has held administrative roles including Department Head, Interim Department Head, and Chair of the Disability Disciplines Doctoral Program.

Dr. Higbee's research focuses on evidence-based interventions for children with autism and developmental disabilities, including strategies for caregivers and professionals. He has authored over 60 peer-reviewed articles, mentored numerous doctoral students, and developed programs in Brazil, Russia, Portugal, and Utah. His awards include the 2024 Strong Human Services Award and the 2019 Distinguished Service Award from the Utah Association for Behavior Analysis.

He teaches courses in Applied Behavior Analysis and Single Subject Research Design, and has pioneered telehealth-based interventions, digital activity schedules, and caregiver-coaching systems. His work emphasizes global dissemination of effective practices through training programs and cross-cultural collaborations.