A member (Emeritus in 2022) of the Department of Psychology since 1978, Professor Strauss has been both the Department's Chairperson and head of its Developmental Psychology Program. In 1986 he co-founded the University’s Office of Child Development, a center concerned with policy, intervention, and evaluation issues related to programs that serve children, youth and families. His research focuses on children and adults with autism and he has been the P.I. of several NIH Grants interested in the cognitive and brain processes of individuals with Autism.  As a teaching faculty member, in 2005 Dr. Strauss received the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award and in 2007 students elected him as an Honorary Faculty Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.  Finally, he has been actively involved in community issues and served as the founding chairperson of the board of directors of the Pittsburgh chapter of Autism Speaks.