Partners

We’re thrilled to announce that applications are open for the 2026 Workplace Readiness and Preparation (WRaP) Program! This transformative three-week summer program is designed for students aged 15-20 on the autism spectrum who are ready to take the next step in their professional journey. About the Program: For seven years,… Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is thrilled to congratulate our internal partner, Neurodiverse Technologies, along with co-founders Jan Schlueter and Principal Investigator Dr. Nilanjan Sarkar, on receiving a $70,000 award through Vanderbilt’s Innovation Catalyst Fund. This significant funding will advance NAVIS (Advancement of Neurodivergent-Aware… Read More

FCAI Associate Director Dr. Dave Caudel In 2025, Associate Director Dr. Dave Caudel, collaborated with AutismTN as a scholar, to support the creation of a webinar series “Exploring Autistic Life and Culture”. The “Exploring Autistic Life and Culture” webinar series represents a groundbreaking community dialogue project… Read More

Dr. Jessica Schonhut-Stasik is a research scientist in astrophysics, the Director of Communications for the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and the CEO/President of The Neuroverse Initiative, a non-profit that works at the intersection of space science and neurodiversity. The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is proud to… Read More

Our friends at the Stanford Neurodiversity Project are excited to offer two great programs for Summer 2026. You can reach out to the team with questions at snp-reach@stanford.edu. They give acceptances out on a rolling basis and encourage early applications. SNP-REACH Dates: Cohort #1: July 6 –… Read More

Our friends at the Stanford Neurodiversity Project are recruiting dedicated undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about neurodiversity, community service, advocacy, and have great organizational skills, to serve as camp leaders for both SNP-REACH and our pilot program, SNP-BRIDGE! 2026 Program Dates SNP-BRIDGE: June 15 –… Read More

We at FCAI are proud to announce the launch of the Neurotech Frontiers Incubation Program, a groundbreaking initiative developed in partnership with JANUS Innovation Hub. This six-month hybrid program will support early-stage startups building technology solutions that enhance the lives of autistic and neurodivergent individuals, their families, and… Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is pleased to announce the successful inaugural Lab-Match Event, held today both in-person at Vanderbilt and virtually. This event brought together lab managers and start-up companies in a unique forum designed to connect researchers with entrepreneurial ventures seeking research support. The Lab-Match… Read More

What is the study? On behalf of the Postsecondary Education: Autistic Collegians’ Experience of Success (PEACES) study team, we encourage our partners to spread the word about this research study that honors the holistic lived experiences of autistic college students. One goal of this study is to create… Read More

 xNEXT for Autism is now accepting applications for NEXT Connects, a free virtual mentorship program designed to help autistic college students and recent graduates make confident strides toward their next professional step. Participants are matched with a trained professional in their field of interest… Read More