Academics and Higher Education Professionals

Our academicians and other professionals in higher education develop and prepare the next generation of engineers, business leaders, special education and clinical practitioners, and students across all other relevant domains to bring a “neurodiversity paradigm” to all whose lives they will touch and everything they will invent, create and do.

People

Programs

Impacts

Resources

Learn about the people who research and develop neuroinclusive higher education practices to support a better education for all.

Learn about the education supporting programs run by the FCAI and our partners including supports for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Learn about the students we serves and how our programs impact them and the neurodivergent community.

If you are an educator or researcher in the education space, we hope you find these resources helpful!

Academics and Higher Education Professionals News

NISE Fellow Hari Srinivasan Co-Authors Foreword with Temple Grandin in Autism for Dummies

May 25, 2025

We want to extend our deepest congratulations to Hari Srinivasan, one of our Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering (NISE) fellows. Hari co-authored the foreword for the new book Autism for Dummies with Temple Grandin. Hari’s section of the foreword is provided below, along with a link for those interested in buying the book. Congratulations again,…

Vanderbilt Magazine Article Tells Story of FCAI and Autism Research

May 24, 2025

We are thrilled to announce the release of an exciting article in Vanderbilt Magazine celebrating the groundbreaking work of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation! By highlighting our mission to empower neurodivergent and autistic individuals and spotlighting the dedication and passion of our director and staff, this article is a testament to the incredible…

New Resource Available: “Supporting Fair and Inclusive Graduate Programs: A Guide for Faculty and Institutions”

April 30, 2025

We are excited to share a new resource developed with the support of Dr. Julie R. Posselt, one of our FCAI visiting faculty fellows. This new resource, entitled “Supporting Fair and Inclusive Graduate Programs: A Guide for Faculty and Institutions,” is a collaboration between the Council of Graduate Schools and the Equity in Graduate Education…

New Website by Neurodivergent Teen Launches to Support Aspiring College Students

April 23, 2025

We’re excited to share this amazing resource, created by high school student Ellie Rosenthal-Strisik, a passionate advocate, neurodivergent student, and friend of the College Autism Network and Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. Ellie created this resource for students like themselves–not for their parents, counselors, or coaches to then translate for students. We’re excited to…

College Autism Network Summer Webinar Series

April 23, 2025

Announcing the College Autism Network Summer Webinar Series exploring Autistic Students on Campus, co-sponsored by the College Autism Network and College Ready. This series of webinars will be hosted by Lee Burdette Williams, executive director of the College Autism Network, and Matt Gunter, Founder of College Ready and Inclusive Academia. Four webinars, four topics to…

Employment-Based Mentorship Opportunity from NEXT Connects

April 22, 2025

NEXT is once again recruiting students to participate in their FREE co-mentorship program. In 2024, more than 60 universities partnered with NEXT, and they’ve made over 100 student-mentor matches! Participants are matched with established professionals trained in neuroinclusion, and meet virtually for 8 conversations between now and September. The program is flexible, free, and fully virtual — making…

NISE Fellow Hari Srinivasan and FCAI Fellow Dr. Tyler Derr Win Vanderbilt University Impact Awards

April 18, 2025

We want to Congratulate two members of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation family today, Dr. Tyler Derr and Hari Srinivasan. This week, Vanderbilt University acknowledged them with Impact Awards in the faculty and PhD student categories, respectively. Dr. Tyler Derr is a fellow of the Frist Center and an assistant professor of computer…

Dr. Tim Vogus to Deliver Jane Hannah Roundtable Talk at Currey Ingram Academy on April 10th — Register Now!

April 3, 2025

On April 10th, Deputy Director of Business Innovations for FCAI, Dr. Tim Vogus, will deliver a Jane Hannah Roundtable talk at the Annette Eskind Institute of Learning at the Currey Ingram Academy, entitled “Embracing Neurodiversity and Making Organizations Inclusive for All“. The mission of the Annette Eskind Institute of Learning (AEIOL) is to strengthen the…

Announcing “From Autism Acceptance to Advantage” Event, Hosted by AllianceBernstein in NYC — Register NOW!

March 24, 2025

This Autism Acceptance Month, the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation and Vanderbilt University are partnering with Alliance Bernstein to host an NYC event entitled, From Autism Acceptance to Advantage: Learning from Autism to Create Innovative Workplaces and Teams. Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month and learn how to make your organization and your teams more effective,…

Article in The Tennessean Highlights the Need to Hiring a Neurodivergent Workforce

March 19, 2025

This week in The Tennessean, guest columnists Keivan G. Stassun (Dirctor of FCAI) and Jon Perlin (Advisory Board of FCAI) highlight overlooked talents of neurodivergent workers in today’s job market. While major tech companies like Amazon and Dell have made strides in hiring neurodivergent individuals, there are still millions who remain unrecognized. They argue that…