Neurotransmitters Flow in this Autism Mind

2025 Career Luminary Award

Dear Hari Srinivasan,

Congratulations! You are a 2025 recipient of the Career Luminary Award.

Your outstanding contributions to career empowerment within our university community have not gone unnoticed, and we are thrilled to honor your dedication and excellence. These awards are incredibly special,

Career Luminary Award (Current PhD Student): This award celebrates a graduate student who has shown exceptional dedication to career development within their academic program and has made a significant impact on career-related initiatives.

How Reasonable are Reasonable Accommodations at Work

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/giving-voice/202410/how-reasonable-are-reasonable-accommodations-at-work

As we observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, it is essential to create true equity for all autistic and neurodivergent workers by closing this loophole around the subjectivity of “reasonable accommodations

Disability and Multilingualism

Just as ramps and elevators, which were initially designed for wheelchair users, can aid travelers with suitcases and families with strollers, solutions that support those with significant support needs in the autism community can enhance accessibility and inclusion for all.

Read Full Article at unesco.org...

Oversampling

Read at https://time.com/6299599/autism-research-limited-essay/

Just as psychology research had its WEIRD (“western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic”) sampling bias, autism research has not only a WEIRD sampling bias, but also has essentially oversampled the same, narrow band of what are considered the easily “researchable autistics,” and expected those findings (as well as the applications and interventions that resulted from them) to apply to everyone.

-Hari Srinivasan, Time

My other list of Publications: https://uniquelyhari.blogspot.com/p/published-work.html

Participant Selection Bias

Read at https://time.com/6299599/autism-research-limited-essay/

"Research participant selection bias is especially problematic in... autism because research [not only] provides explanations [but] also influences policy priorities, interventions, treatments, who gets access to funding, access to spaces, and even societal attitudes. Most importantly, research leads us to applications and solutions."

-Hari Srinivasan, Time

My other list of Publications: https://uniquelyhari.blogspot.com/p/published-work.html

Temporal ventriloquism

Temporal ventriloquism refers to the brain's ability to synchronize slightly misaligned visual and auditory inputs, which may work differently in autism, leading to challenges in processing multisensory information.

PlainSpeak. In Plain Language for the Lay Reader

Temporal ventriloquism is when the brain adjusts sounds and visuals that don’t match up perfectly, making them seem like they happen together. In autism, this process might work differently, which can make it harder to handle mixed sensory information.

[Read in more detail]

Challenges-Based-Solutions

"For some autistics, we can step right into the application of positive psychology. For others, we need to be working on challenge-based solutions at the same time. It’s not a binary, either/or situation where you do one at the expense of the other." - Hari Srinivasan

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2024.38246.pw

Caught Between Tears and Stoicism

The varied responses to emotional display reflect ingrained ableist attitudes about how disabled people should behave.

Read Full Article at

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/giving-voice/202409/caught-between-tears-and-stoicism

When Independence fuels loneliness

https://time.com/6551520/loneliness-autism-essay/

My research interests

Read here to learn more about me. My graduate research investigates peripersonal space (PPS) in autism, exploring how differences in sensory-motor integration impact spatial perception and interaction. PPS is the immediate space around our body—like a flexible, invisible bubble—where we perceive actions as directly affecting us. It serves as a critical sensorimotor interface, shaping how autistics navigate our social and spatial environments. Understanding PPS dynamics in autism has broad implications across education, employment, and daily living skills.

I employ behavioral, physiological, and neurological measures using immersive technology like VR, AR, and motion tracking to study these processes in a dynamic, real-world-like environment. My approach prioritizes ecological validity, simplicity, and participant comfort, so that a wide profile of autistics can participate in research — capturing a more comprehensive understanding of sensory-motor differences that span the spectrum of autism.

Ultimately, my work aims to bridge the gap between basic neuroscience and applied interventions, informing strategies that can help autistics navigate their sensory environments more effectively. I will also be looking to developing tailored intervention(s) based on PPS insights. As both a researcher and an autistic with ADHD, I am deeply committed to research that not only advances scientific understanding but also has practical real world applications and solutions.

Short Video on PPS and my research: https://youtu.be/-cfAiB3odyM (~5 mins)
Overview of my research poster below https://youtu.be/7B99aYdXDbc (~5 mins)

My Ted X talk titled "Pebbles in the Pond of Change

Hari Srinivasan, shares a powerful message about the power of small actions in creating ever-widening ripples in the pond of change. Drawing from personal experiences and the legacy of disability rights leaders, he redefines progress as a journey that starts with simple, accessible steps. His inspiring message encourages everyone to identify and act on their own "small pebbles" to drive societal transformation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e87-3xydg58