Marquis Garner

Marquis Garner is currently a co-researcher with the Ausderau Lab on the “Implications of COVID-19 on Service Delivery, Health, and Well-Being for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)” project. This project is working to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted services, health, and wellbeing for people with IDD in Wisconsin. Marquis has previously been involved with the Ausderau Lab on past research projects including the “Research Engagement with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ” project funded through the PCORI Eugene Washington Engagement Award #10029. Marquis completed the READI (Research Engagement and Advocacy for Diverse Individuals) curriculum with the research team and was a part of the development team, where he provided feedback and suggestions to improve the pilot modules. Marquis has also published a research blog post with the team about his experiences as an author. To read more about his blog post, click here. 

Outside of the research lab, Marquis is a very accomplished individual. He is a Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI)  athlete mostly competing in basketball. Marquis also serves on the SOWI Board of Directors, sharing his perspectives and lived experiences as an autistic young male. Marquis is also a communicator and advocate. He has done several different speaking engagements with SOWI and frequently attends the Special Olympics Day at the Capitol event, speaking with legislators and representatives from across the state of Wisconsin. Marquis is also a published author. His book, “Have You Ever Wished You Were Someone Else?: Carrying the Weight of Autism”, shares more about his personal story as an autistic young male. 

In his own words, “I think research is important for individuals, like me. It’s important so doctors, families, friends, and associates understand us better but also make society acceptable for all. If I could do a research study on my own, I would love to do a long research project about how I could do a program to increase my vertical jump to help in basketball. I am interested in research related to sports, meditation and how it affects the human mind, and health and well-being.” 

To learn more about Marquis’ book, click here.

To hear more of Marquis’ story, click here to watch a video.