Professor Crewther began her studies at Melbourne University then moved to the US to complete her PhD in Neuroscience at Caltech under Nobel Prize Winner Professor Roger Sperry. Sheila has professional qualifications in Neuropsychology, Education and Optometry and these underlie her research into the cognitive and behavioural neuroscience of neuroplasticity in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative anomalies. The aim is to use this knowledge to design better behavioural and therapeutic management regimes. Professor Crewther led the Victorian Government Department of Human Services Review and Report ‘Prevalence and services for children 0-6 years of age with ‘Autism Spectrum Disorders in 2002 -2003. This has resulted in substantially increased funding and the initiation of the first state government general assessment plan for those with autism and their families in Australia. She has also led the research that initiated increased Australian optometric focus (2004-2010) on the role of children’s functional vision in reading and learning and in Intellectual Disability.
