Self-Advocacy

Dave Thompson received the award on behalf of the A-SCENE project. We are thrilled to announce that the A-SCENE initiative has been honored with the Excellence in Accessible STEM Leadership Award at the Accessibility in STEM Conference hosted by NC State University. This prestigious recognition celebrates efforts… Read More

Dave Thompson, Project Manager for A-SCENE at FCAI. The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is proud to announce that two of our exceptional staff members, Dr. Jessica Schonhut-Stasik and Dave Thompson, have been honored with the Nimoy-Knight Foundation’s ‘Live Long and Prosper’ Tribute Award for… 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

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, is pleased to present a special Salon Series event featuring Dr. Jim Coleman, Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Event Details: Date: Monday, March 30th Time: Noon – 1pm CT Format: Hybrid Event… 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

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

The Frist Center for Autism & Innovation (FCAI) at Vanderbilt University is proud to announce the successful convening of the inaugural NeuroCorps cohort on Monday and Tuesday this week. This brand-new program brings together six neurodivergent leaders, entrepreneurs, and business and non-profit leaders, comprising staff and visiting scholars, to… Read More

Dr. Tim Vogus, Deputy Director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation. The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation celebrates Deputy Director Dr. Tim Vogus on the publication of his new “JMS Says” essay, “Creating a Neuroinclusive Profession: Overcoming the Double Empathy Problem,” in the Journal of Management Studies. Read More

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… Read More