Vanderbilt University

Fidget toys are one element of a sensory-friendly space. (Photo by Claire Barnett) Sensory spaces are a common resource at autism conferences and events, providing a calming spot for attendees to escape stress or overwhelming stimuli. But these spaces can be beneficial to a much wider audience, including those with anxiety, ADHD… Read More

  – This past October, the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation put out its first-ever call for large projects, mini-grants, scholarly literature reviews, and symposia proposals consistent with the Center’s mission of engineering technologies and transforming the workplace – inspired by neurodiversity. These awards are supported through a… Read More

Mentor Noah Austin and intern Preston Batts, Summer 2019. (Photo by Susan Urmy) The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is excited to announce the second annual Summer Autism Internship. The participating interns will work on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) research and projects throughout summer 2020. The Frist Center is seeking… Read More

Frist Center Associate Director Dr. Dave Caudel is the most recent guest on autism self-advocate Tim Goldstein’s podcast, “Life in a Neurotypical Universe.” Both Goldstein and Caudel were diagnosed with autism as adults, and they discuss their lives pre- and post-diagnosis. Caudel also shares about the mission and progress of… Read More

This past November, Frist Center for Autism and Innovation communications coordinator Claire Barnett spoke at TEDxVanderbilt about autistic employment. Her talk, titled “Why autistic unemployment is so high – and what we can do about it,” explores several reasons that autistic adults struggle to obtain meaningful work. Barnett also… Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation aims to support and empower adults with autism in the workforce through research and community partnerships. Electronics Recycling Solutions (ERS) is one of those local organizations putting the Frist Center’s principles into practice. Their business model “is designed to provide sustainable, long… Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation has begun a new partnership with the virtual reality start up Floreo. Floreo develops virtual reality trainings for autistic people to learn and practice life skills. The primary user inserts a phone into the VR headset to view one of the sessions. Meanwhile, another… Read More

Dr. Patrick Leddin started the podcast “Leadership Lab” to inform and inspire leaders in all walks of life. He has hosted illustrious guests from the realms of business, academia, activism and more. This past week, Leddin’s guest was Frist Center associate director Dr. Dave Caudel. In the podcast, Caudel employs his own experiences as… Read More

Call for Pre-proposals: Projects, mini-grants, literature reviews, and symposia Photo by Claire Barnett Due: Nov 15, 2019 The Frist Center for Autism & Innovation announces its first call for proposals for members to request support for mini-grants, large research projects, literature reviews, and symposia. Read More

Autistic people are alarmingly under-represented in the American workforce; around 80 percent of autistic adults are un- or under-employed. So, when the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a program that would forge partnerships between public researchers and private companies, the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation saw an opportunity. A… Read More