I was just talking about this sort of thing with an NT friend who is married to a Chem. Eng. professor. I am teased by my family a lot, because ever since I've looked into Asperger's and Autism in association with my son, I now think everybody has it [not everybody, but I think I can point it out in others, much to my family's amusement]. When I was talking to my friend, I said something along the lines of what Tony Attwood says . . . that most professor's are on the Asperger's spectrum. She laughed and said "yeah, I bet you think my husband has it" to which I said "NO, not at all, he's much too social" to which she responded "well, let me tell you . . . ."
She proceeded to tell me that when they went on a trip to Venice, her husband sat by a lovely canal, reading a TEXTBOOK. Here she is, vacationing like most Europeans do (for a long time, drinking in absolutely everything, enjoying the total experience) and her husband can't pull himself away from his work long enough to go along for the ride. Fairly Aspie experience, eh?
The interesting thing is, this professor gets along well with most people, is empathetic, is really charming, and one of my husband and my's best friends. (of course, my hubbie's a chemical engineer as well) Yes, most people think he is really into his work and that his whole life experience seems to always point back to his interest in chemistry, etc. But he is well loved by everyone around him, probably partially due to how bright he is, and how animated he is about his work. Is he Aspie? Possibly. But if he is, he has somehow learned to adapt extremely well to his environment. He also married the perfect woman for him -- she is independent and can handle life without him when he works until the wee hours of the morning.
I love to watch people who may or may not be on the spectrum -- and for some odd reason, if I think they might possibly be on the spectrum, I find them that much more interesting than everyone else.