Blog
Debugging Broken Systems: The Power of Neurodivergent Thinking by Aras Sheikhi
If you’ve been following along, you know I get excited about the tools and startups built for the neurodiversity community. But lately, my brain has been buzzing about something even bigger. What if the real superpower isn’t just in the apps we build, but in the very wiring of the neurodivergent mind itself? And what…
Read MoreDr. Nigel Newbutt on AiCoVE, Empathy, and the Future of Neurodiverse Collaboration
Dr. Nigel Newbutt is at the forefront of advancing learning technologies while focusing on the human-computer interaction. One of Dr. Newbutt’s current projects is collaborating with Dr. Nilanjan Sarker, the Principal Investigator on an NSF-funded project. AiCoVE, a computer platform that allows two people to complete collaboratively on tasks with each other while experiencing AI…
Read MoreNeurotech Rising and the Autistic Founders Rewriting the Autism Story by Aras Sheikhi
There’s a quiet revolution happening, one that hums in code, glows on phone screens, and whispers in startup pitch decks. It’s where artificial intelligence meets autism innovation, where founders with lived experience are shaping the tools that once shaped them. Let’s call it what it is: Neurotech Rising. When AI learns empathy (kind of) For…
Read MoreFrom Amazon to Autism Tech: Vijay Ravindran’s Journey to Founding Floreo
Vijay Ravindran is an engineer, a leader, and a CEO. At the heart of all those titles is his most significant role: a father. When his son was diagnosed with autism, Vijay responded in a way that came most naturally to him: by building a solution. That solution became Floreo, a clinically designed immersive virtual…
Read MoreCountdown to the Neurotech Frontiers Summit: Empowering Neurodiverse Innovation
In just four days, the Neurotech Frontiers Summit, presented by the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, will make its way to Nashville from October 10th to October 20th. This year’s theme, “Shaping the future of Assistive and Inclusive Technology,” brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, and neurodivergent leaders shaping inclusivity and creating innovation…
Read MoreBridging Worlds: How Large Language Models are Reshaping Autism Support by Aras Sheikhi, founder of Janus Innovation Hub
In today’s digital world, it feels like technology is moving faster than our ability to process it. One area I’ve been especially curious about is Large Language Models (LLMs). At first glance, they look like fancy text generators, but as I started digging into the research and real-world applications, I realized they’re quietly beginning to…
Read MoreNavigating College Admissions with Dr. Eric Endlich by Gabriele Barrocas
For many high school students, the college admissions process is both exciting and overwhelming. For autistic and other neurodivergent students, however, that journey can present unique challenges, from navigating self-advocacy to deciding whether or not to disclose a diagnosis. Dr. Eric Endlich, a clinical psychologist turned college admissions consultant, has dedicated his career to helping…
Read MoreAuDHD: The Hidden Dynamics of a Dual Diagnosis
The term AuDHD – used within the neurodivergent community to describe individuals diagnosed with both autism and ADHD – highlights a significant yet often overlooked intersection. Autism and ADHD are distinct clinical diagnoses; however, their co-occurrence is well-documented but under-researched [1]. Until the publication of the DSM-V in 2013, a diagnosis of one of the…
Read MoreDr. Lee Burdette Williams on Neurodiversity and the College Autism Network
As the Executive Director of the College Autism Network (CAN), Dr. Lee Burdette Williams is at the forefront of supporting autistic college students as they transition into college and eventually, the workforce. Under her guidance, CAN has grown into a network made up of practitioners, researchers, scholars, and employers, many of whom are autistic or…
Read MoreBuilding Neuroinclusive Systems: Dr. Timothy Vogus’ Organizational Approach to Long-Lasting Change
For the past 21 years, Dr. Timothy Vogus has brought insight and innovation to Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Named one of the 50 most influential business professors of 2013 by Poets and Quants and recipient of the Excellence of Teaching Award from the Academy of Management in 2019, Dr. Vogus is nationally recognized…
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