Frist Center For Autism And Innovation

A transformative gift from Vanderbilt parents Laurel and Cliff Asness of Greenwich, Connecticut, to the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security and the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation will have a significant impact on the future of national security and neurodiversity. The gift highlights the extraordinary support of the Vanderbilt community and underscores the ongoing momentum of the university’s historic Dare to Grow campaign which surpassed its original goal of $3.2 billion 20 months ahead of schedule. Read More

At Vanderbilt, people with autism aren’t only research subjects—they are key drivers of scientific discovery. Vanderbilt’s autism research centers and academic programs have fostered a collaborative ecosystem where neurodiverse scholars and scientists can thrive and bring their unique perspectives and abilities to bear on complex research challenges. Read More

See how a passion to help underrepresented students ignited astrophysicist Keivan Stassun’s mission, earning him a MacArthur “genius” award. Read More

Stassun, who is also a founding co-director the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program, was among the 2024 MacArthur fellows announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The fellowship, which is awarded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, aims to identify extraordinarily creative individuals with a track record of excellence in a field of scholarship or area of practice. Recipients also demonstrate the ability to affect society in significant and beneficial ways through their pioneering work or the rigor of their contributions, according to the foundation. Read More

AJ Hinton, Amber Crabtree, and colleagues collaborated to provide a commentary on the challenges facing autistic adults in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine. As autistic adults face a high unemployment rate, the authors argue that solutions are necessary to evoke change within STEMM institutions to acquire and retain autistic employees. Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation has announced its 2024 call for membership, which allows Vanderbilt faculty and staff to apply to become affiliates or fellows of the Center. The work of current fellows and affiliates has resulted in multi-million-dollar grants and was highlighted nationally on CBS’s 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper. Read More

Tim Vogus, deputy director of Vanderbilt's Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, uses research to push for a workforce that welcomes, accepts, and embraces neurodivergent professionals. Read More

The ribbon-cutting of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation with (l to r) Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affair Susan R. Wente, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering Philippe Fauchet, Jennifer R. Frist, BS’93, William R. “Billy” Frist, Frist Center for Autism & Innovation Director Keivan Stassun, Daria Mulkey and John Mulkey.... Read More

At Vanderbilt, there is no shortage of exploration. Every day our talented faculty, students and staff are driven to make discoveries—not just for the recognition, but for the chance to move the dial, to permeate the boundaries, to affect our society at large and for the better. Read More

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation seeks to transform workplaces by developing new technologies based on the specific skills and talents of people with autism, effectively inspiring advances that can lead to meaningful employment and a fuller life. Read More