Zanitha Hamilton Månegaard receives Autism Prize 2025

PhD student at Design School Kolding, and member of Universal Design Hub's research network, Zanitha Hamilton Månegaard has been awarded the Autism Prize 2025 for her work in the field of autism.

The Autism Award is an annual honorary award which is given to an individual who has made a special effort to the cause of autism. Zanitha Hamilton Månegaard received the award on Monday 28 April at the SIKON conference by Karina Bundgaard, President of the Autism Society.

The justification for the award states, among other things:

- Zanitha receives the Autism Prize for a notable focus on research on autistic play and contributions to a broader understanding of play as a form of expression and developmental space for children on the autism spectrum. Through her work, Zanitha represents a significant and significant voice in the development of knowledge and practice in the field of autism.

Zanitha Hamilton Månegaard says in connection with the reception:

- I am both proud, touched and deeply grateful. It matters more than you might think when research like mine — based on play, communities and neurodivergent children's own perspectives — is highlighted and taken seriously. I hope the award can help open up even more spaces for play and curiosity — especially for autistic children and young people.

The prize consists of a diploma, a statuette with a work of art created by an autistic artist and DKK 10,000.

Zanitha is a member the Universal Design Hub´s interdisciplinary reasearch network.

Read more about Zanitha Hamilton Månegaard's research as PhD at Design School Kolding here.