Frist Center For Autism And Innovation
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2024 MacArthur Fellow Keivan Stassun: Reaching for the stars while raising others up
See how a passion to help underrepresented students ignited astrophysicist Keivan Stassun’s mission, earning him a MacArthur “genius” award. Read MoreOct 7, 2024
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Vanderbilt’s Keivan Stassun named 2024 MacArthur fellow
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 MoreOct 2, 2024
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Q&A: Reviewing systemic problems for autistic adults in STEMM
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 MoreJun 5, 2024
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Frist Center seeking applications for 2024 fellows, affiliates; deadline is May 15
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 MoreApr 11, 2024
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Vanderbilt researchers seeking to aid neurodiverse adults receive prestigious National Science Foundation CIVIC Stage 2 Award
Mechanical engineering Professor Nilanjan Sarkar, Frist Center Director Keivan Stassun and collaborators receive $1M to develop an integrated AI and behavioral science-based driving training system to improve transportation independence for neurodiverse individuals. Read MoreSep 21, 2023
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Vanderbilt joins The Precisionists, other employers in creating careers for 500 neurodiverse individuals in Nashville
Vanderbilt University and the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt are collaborating with The Precisionists, Inc., a Wilmington, Delaware-based company that assesses, trains and employs neurodiverse adults to carry out project-based consulting work. TPI anticipates steady growth in Nashville and plans to create more than 500 local jobs for adults with autism and neurodiversities within the next three to five years. Read MoreSep 20, 2023
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Removing Barriers to Success for Neurodivergent Workers
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 MoreApr 13, 2023
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Deadline to apply for Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering 2023 graduate trainee program is June 16
The Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering graduate trainee program builds on the unique strengths of the School of Engineering’s Frist Center for Autism and Innovation and the Graduate School. Read MoreApr 10, 2023
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Frist Center seeking applications for new fellows, affiliates
The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation has announced its 2023 call for membership, which allows Vanderbilt faculty and staff to apply to become affiliates or fellows of the center. Applications are due by March 15. Read MoreFeb 14, 2023
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Keivan Stassun appointed to National Science Board by President Joe Biden
Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, has been appointed to the National Science Board by President Joe Biden. Read MoreJan 26, 2023
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Frist Center for Autism and Innovation to be featured on NPR’s ‘This Is Nashville’ Dec. 12
The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt will be featured on NPR's This Is Nashville on Monday, Dec. 12, in conjunction with the national airing on PBS of the documentary In A Different Key. Read MoreDec 9, 2022
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Vanderbilt receives two CIVIC Awards from the National Science Foundation
Nilanjan Sarkar and Meiyi Ma have received Civic Innovation Challenge planning grants from the National Science Foundation. The purpose of the NSF CIVIC program is to accelerate the transition to practice of foundational research and emerging technologies into communities through civic-engaged research. Read MoreOct 24, 2022
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Vanderbilt’s Frist Center for Autism & Innovation wins NSF grant to support neurodiverse engineering students in their education, careers
Vanderbilt School of Engineering’s Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, working in partnership with Fisk University, has won a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a system of programs to support neurodiverse students in engineering majors and careers. Read MoreAug 4, 2022
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Esteemed astrophysics professor Keivan Stassun co-authors study for NASA on increasing diversity and inclusion in space mission leadership
Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, is a co-author of the study “Increasing Diversity and Inclusion in the Leadership of Competed Space Missions.” The report will be published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on May 18. Read MoreMay 18, 2022
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Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering graduate trainee program now accepting applications
Applications are open through June 15 for the Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering graduate trainee program. The NISE program engages students across STEM disciplines in the development, deployment and commercialization of future of work at the human technology frontier (FW-HTF) approaches and devices that support neurodiverse individuals, and/or that are inspired by their abilities. Read MoreApr 19, 2022
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Q&A: Vanderbilt expert discusses inclusive workplaces for people on the autism spectrum
In 2022, neurodiversity in the workplace is an issue capturing attention, as conversations on how to create more inclusive spaces for all continue among business leaders. Tim Vogus, deputy director of Vanderbilt's Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, focuses on research related to improving the workplace for people on the autism spectrum. Read MoreApr 6, 2022
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Join HR Employee Learning and Engagement for Thought Leader Series on ‘Neurodiversity in the Workplace’
Join HR Employee Learning and Engagement for the next installment in its Thought Leader Series. “Neurodiversity in the Workplace” with David Caudel, associate director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, will be on Thursday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. Read MoreApr 1, 2022
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Free screening of documentary ‘In a Different Key’ is March 31
Vanderbilt will host an exclusive pre-release screening of the documentary "In A Different Key" on Thursday, March 31. The film is the story of a mother who tracks down the first person ever diagnosed with autism, now an elderly man in rural Mississippi, to learn if his life story holds promise for her own autistic son. Read MoreMar 23, 2022
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Frist Center for Autism and Innovation seeking applications for new fellows, affiliates
The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation has announced its 2022 call for membership, which allows Vanderbilt faculty and staff to apply to become affiliates or fellows of the center. Applications are due by March 15. Read MoreFeb 13, 2022
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Frist Center for Autism and Innovation recognized by American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity with 2021 Edward M. Kennedy Community Service Award
Under the leadership of Keivan Stassun, founding director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, the center has been recognized for its innovations in engineering research related to autism and the value of neurodiversity in the workplace. Read MoreSep 15, 2021