 In collaboration with Dr. Sally J. Rogers, Dawson developed and empirically validated the Early Start Denver Model, the first comprehensive early intervention program for very young children with autism.Dawson received continuous NIH funding for her research from 1980–2008 when she left her tenured faculty position at the University of Washington to become Autism Speaks' first chief science officer.At Autism Speaks, Dawson oversaw $20–30 million in annual research funding, including funding for the Autism Treatment Network, the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange, the Autism Genome Project, and the Autism Tissue Program.