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

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…

FCAI, UCONN, & Alliance Bernstein Partner for Company Workshop to Design Neurodiversity Programs: Register Now!

May 17, 2024

** Originally Posted 17th May, 2024 ** Workshop Details Are you keen on implementing a neurodiversity talent strategy at your company? The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation (FCAI) is thrilled to announce an exclusive workshop taking place in September 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. This workshop, made possible by FCAI in collaboration with UConn’s Center for Neurodiversity…

Director of UCONN’s Center of Neurodiversity and Employment Innovation Interviewed on The Special Needs Voice Podcast

May 7, 2024

Director of UCONN’s Center of Neurodiversity Employment and Innovation, Judy Reilly, was interviewed for the latest Special Needs Voices Podcast episode. This insightful conversation is just a click away, available on the Spotify app or at the following link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lOK54Jrh84b7rspoUrRQ4 In this episode, Judy speaks about her background and interest in the Neurodiversity field. She introduces her…

FCAI Program and Communications Manager Speaking at SciAccess 2024; FCAI, Disability Research, and Upcoming Non-Profit

May 6, 2024

On May 10-11th, 2024, we are thrilled to announce that FCAI Program and Communications Manager Jessica Schonhut-Stasik will deliver multiple talks at the free, virtual SciAccess conference. Jessica, along with an array of incredible speakers at the intersection of disability and STEM, will provide three unique talks outlined below. Registration is free and available at the…

FCAI Partner Jobs for Humanity Releases Impact Report; Work Supported by Associate Director Dave Caudel

April 27, 2024

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation is proud to partner with Jobs for Humanity. This organization supports inclusive hiring practices for individuals from underrepresented groups, including those on the autism spectrum. Jobs for Humanity has recently unveiled an inspiring impact reportshowcasing their remarkable achievements over the past three years. The report highlights the significant…

FCAI NISE Fellow Wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

April 25, 2024

We are thrilled to announce that Hari Srinivasan, one of our Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellows at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, has been awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for his work in Neuroscience. The NSF GRFP is a tremendous achievement and a testament to Hari’s hard work,…