Academics and Higher Education Professionals

Our academicians and other professionals in higher education develop and prepare the next generation of engineers, business leaders, special education and clinical practitioners, and students across all other relevant domains to bring a “neurodiversity paradigm” to all whose lives they will touch and everything they will invent, create and do.

People

Programs

Impacts

Resources

Learn about the people who research and develop neuroinclusive higher education practices to support a better education for all.

Learn about the education supporting programs run by the FCAI and our partners including supports for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Learn about the students we serves and how our programs impact them and the neurodivergent community.

If you are an educator or researcher in the education space, we hope you find these resources helpful!

Academics and Higher Education Professionals News

FCI Director Keivan Stassun Featured on the NSF Discovery Files Podcast

December 2, 2024

Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Dr. Keivan G. Stassun, a professor at Vanderbilt University, recently appeared on an episode of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Discovery Files podcast. In this episode, Dr. Stassun discusses his groundbreaking work in astronomy, efforts to enhance diversity in STEM fields, and the significance of neurodiversity in driving innovative…

Applications Open for SNP-REACH High School Summer Program; Participants and Counselors Sought! Apply Today!

December 1, 2024

The Standford Neurodiversity Project (SNP) – is announcing its 7th SNP – Research, Education, and Advocacy Camp for High Schoolers (SNP-REACH) for Summer 2025. SNP aims to empower neurodivergent individuals, train neurodiverse individuals in education and the workforce, and spread awareness for these issues. Camp Details: SNP-REACH will hold two two-week summer camps for high…

Northeastern University Fall Coalition Conversation with Michael John Carley on Dec 13th! Register now!

December 1, 2024

Our sibling center, Northeastern University College of Engineering, invites you to join a conversation with Michael John Carley, a popular autistic speaker from Northeastern’s 2024 Neurodiversity Conference, who recently joined the Neurodiversity Initiative team at the College of Engineering at Northeastern. Michael John Carley is an author, school and business consultant, and former executive director…

FCAI Program and Communications Coordinator Launches Non-Profit at the Intersection of Neurodiversity and Space Science: The Neuroverse Initiative

October 2, 2024

We are thrilled to share that our Program and Communications manager, Jessica Schonhut-Stasik, launched her non-profit, The Neuroverse Initiative (TNI), last week. This unique initiative operates at the intersection of space science and neurodiversity, with a mission to support neurodivergent space scientists in training, research, and advocacy. The mission statement of the new non-profit reads:…

FCAI Director Keivan Stassun Wins Prestigious MacArthur Genius Grant

October 1, 2024

We are thrilled to announce that our Director, Keivan G. Stassun, has been awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” This incredible honor has been awarded to Director Stassun for his work “expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and careers for underrepresented populations.” Under the guidance of…

NISE Fellow Hari Srinivasan Wins Research Award

July 11, 2024

FCAI Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Hari Srinivasan has been awarded the 2024 Autistic and Neurodivergent Scholars Working for Equity in Research (ANSWER) Scholars Program Award for his project “Navigating the Near: Virtual Reality Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism.” Srinivasan will receive a $10,000 award next academic year to work toward this research….

NISE Fellow, FCAI Fellow, and Associate Director Author Paper on Recruiting and Retaining Autistic Talent in STEMM

June 13, 2024

Check out the groundbreaking commentary “Recruiting and Retaining Autistic Talent in STEMM” by Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Amber Crabtree, with collaboration from FCAI fellow AJ Hinton and FCAI Associate Director Dave Caudel. Published in iScience, the article addresses the high unemployment rates and challenges autistic adults face in science, technology, engineering, math, and…

FCAI NISE Fellow Receives Fisk-Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Fellow Position

June 13, 2024

With great pride, we announce the selection of graduate student and FCAI NISE Fellow Amber Crabtreeas the recipient of the prestigious Fisk-Vanderbilt postdoctoral fellowship. This achievement is a testament to Amber’s hard work and the guidance she has received from her mentors, including FCAI Fellow AJ Hinton in the lab of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics….

NISE Fellow Hari Srinivasan Appears on AMBIV Collective Panel; Recording Available

June 4, 2024

Last Wednesday, 29th May, NISE Fellow and self-advocate Hari Srinivasan appeared on an AMBIV panel entitled AANHPI Autism Self-Advocacy Panel. The recording of the webinar is at this link, or watch below. The webinar featured an empowering online panel that showcased autistic Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) self-advocates as they shared their…

Updated Version of the IDD Toolkit Released; Supporting Primary Care Providers

May 21, 2024

We are pleased to share with you an updated version of the IDD toolkit. This website provides information for providers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It offers best-practice tools and information regarding specific medical and behavioral concerns of adults with IDD, including resources for patients and families. One aspect of the revisions…