Andreia Costa

NIHR, OXFORD HEALTH BRC, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY

I am the Project Manager for Training and Career Development at the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC), a role I took on in January 2024. I bring over a decade of experience in project management, data analysis, and media intelligence, having started my career in the media evaluation and public relations sector after graduating with a BA in Communication, Media & Culture from Oxford Brookes University.

In my role at the OH BRC, I have developed and implemented a comprehensive training programme designed based on the training needs of researchers funded by the OH BRC, that spans departments across the University of Oxford, establishing strong collaborative relationships to deliver impactful learning opportunities. I support the professional development of NIHR Academy members and am a key point of contact for training events and funding schemes. I am also involved with supporting Nurses, Midwives, and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) in advancing their research careers.

Alongside my core role, I am an active member of the People & Culture Committee within the Department of Psychiatry. I serve as the Chair of the Neurodiversity & Disability Working Group and I am currently leading the organisation of the first OH BRC Neurodiversity Conference in collaboration with Autism Champions CIC, and alongside Professor Clare Mackay, Professor Cathy Creswell, Dr. Jiedi Lei and other committee members who span across the University of Oxford, Oxford Health Foundation Trust and Autism Champions. The conference is set to take place in September 2025.

Driven by my lived experience as a parent to a beautiful autistic daughter, I am deeply passionate about advocating for neurodiversity and connecting communities through honest storytelling and inclusive research. I am part of the Carers and Parent Advisory Group for the Autism Character Strengths Study, which reflects my dedication to bringing the voices of families into academic research.

In 2024, I launched the NDV Podcast: Neurodiverse Voices, a platform that blends personal stories and current research. Episodes feature neurodivergent individuals, parents, professionals, and researchers working with or investigating neurodiversity, aiming to challenge stigma and foster better understanding of the different types of neurodivergence. Previous guests include Prof. Clare Mackay, Dr. Jiedi Lei and Dr. Alex Lau-Zhu.

In support of my mission to raise awareness and build community around neurodivergence, I also lead several grassroots initiatives. One of these is the NDV Coffee Mornings, held on the last Friday of every month in Abingdon, offering a welcoming and supportive space for parents and carers of neurodivergent children. These gatherings not only provide peer connection and a platform for sharing lived experiences, but also feature guest speakers from key local services—such as Oxford Health CAMHS, Oxfordshire County Council’s Independent Travel Training team, and the Living Well service—ensuring that attendees leave with practical insights and signposting information.

I’m also actively involved in local education and outreach. At Thameside Primary School, I deliver talks designed to foster early awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity among primary-aged children. This year, the sessions were brought to life with the use of the department’s inflatable brain, originally created for the MYRIAD research project, making the experience both educational and engaging.

In addition, I regularly participate in community events hosted by organisations like the Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum and Renboga, where I connect with other families and advocates. Most recently, I collaborated with SENtipede and Oxford Hub to co-host Together for Neurodiversity—a community-focused event that successfully brought families, professionals, and support organisations together to celebrate neurodivergence and promote inclusion.

Across every aspect of my work—whether in training strategy, research engagement, or public advocacy—I am committed to building bridges between researchers, patients, and the public to create a more inclusive and informed future. Although the journey is long, I firmly believe in a more inclusive world for neurodivergent individuals—and I am deeply committed to helping make that vision a reality.