ABOUT ME

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I'm Hari Srinivasan 

• A short bio can be found here [link] 
• YouTube Channel (@neuroscientist108)
• Social Media Handles: IG/Threads/X (@harisri108), Mastadon (@autisticneuroscientist), BlueSky (@neuroscientist) 

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2. My Writing

• PUBLICATIONS [link]: These include op-eds in Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Boston Globe, Psychology Today, The Daily Californian, Disability Visibility Project as well as two anthologies. 
• IN THE NEWS [link]: I have been covered or mentioned in  media; whether appreciation in SOCIAL MEDIA MENTION [link] or mentions in major publications like The New York Times, Forbes, Time Magazine and The Independent as well as in books.
• AUTISM & DISABILITY [link] & Autism Research: There are many posts in this blog from Research to Policy and Employment and Education. Please look at all the hastags at the right tab of this blog. 
• ACADEMIA [link]: There are posts which are interesting concepts I come across in my academic life. 
• Other Writing:  POETRY [link] (over 300 poems), CONTEMPLATIONS [link], SHORT STORIES, HUMOR [link], SKITS, PHILOSOPHY [link], SPIRITUALITY [link]. Hope these will turn into book(s) one day.

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3. My Advocacy in Autism and Disability

I am passionate about disability-advocacy and disability justice. I want to see progress for everyone, not just some. 

• I am on the boards, advisory boards or scientific advisory boards various organizations in the autism/disability space [NON-ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS [link] and am constantly involved in various projects in this space. 
• I have also presented at various CONFERENCES [link] including keynotes and a TedX talk. 

Some driving philosophies for me. 

• PEBBLES IN THE POND OF CHANGE: I think of all the positive things I get to do as Pebbles in the Pond of Change; small pebbles that help widen those ripples in the pond of knowledge and change.
• REDEFINE THE TABLE [link]: I want to just not get a seat at the table, but get to REDEFINE the table itself.
• A DUAL PRONGED APPROACH [link]: is needed for Autism. Its not an Either-Or. Many autistics like me have significant challenges (which consume 90% of effort) and which make it harder to get to a better level of inclusion/belonging that I see in my non-disabled peers or even in my autistic peers with lesser challenges. So we need both strengths-based-opportunities as well as challenges-based-solutions. Its not an Either-Or for autism, and I am saddened when I see this division (Read on...)

These are hastags that will get you to posts around autism and disabilty: 

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4. My Disability

More on MY DISABILITY in this [post].  My disability is very visible, which means I continue to face a lot of gatekeeping, exclusion & discrimination right off the bat. 

In my personal life I want to be surrounded by people, who are not paid (support staff) to spend time with me. I ask again - can this be a Possiblity-of-Me?

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5. The Opportunity of Education

I am stunned and awed at the opportunity of education [posts: #education] and communication that enabled the opportunities my life has seen and moved me towards Hari-As-Possibility [post: hari-as-possibility]. 

• I'm currently a PhD neuroscience student at Vanderbilt [ Links: Vanderbilt highlights, #Vanderbilt, #Neuroscience]
• Undergraduate from UC Berkeley in Psychology and Disability Studies [Link: Berkeley Highlights, #UCBerkeley, #Psychology]
• Community College [Link: SJCC]
• Charter high school [Link: CAVA]

And getting HONORS & AWARDS (posts) at each step. From the 44+ national/state-level creative writing awards, in High School, including a National Scholastic Gold Medal which I received at Carnegie Hall,  to the heap of honors in my Undergrad Years and now 3 fellowships at Grad School.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba had said  "Character is at the end of Education". My takeaway from this is that my education opportunity should be of some use to society. I hope the research I get to do in grad school can lead to solutions that can help many in society. 

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5. My Research Work in the Autism Space

• My Research Labs in Grad School: https://youtu.be/fSNAkNsV4hg
• Area I will be researching in Grad School: https://youtu.be/OPOeoRpD3kk
• My Undergraduate Research: https://youtu.be/Pp7IjlyPTa0

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6. The Purpose of Human Existence. 

Sanathana Dharma philosophy highlights how the purpose of human existence is "SEVA" (helping others). I dare dream I can do just that through my Education (research), Advocacy and Writing.

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7. Unexpected Patches of Green Grass in my different thornier path

My different thornier path is seeing some patches of green grass along the way.

I was one of three young students featured on PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA's INSTAGRAM (2nd story) on the 30th anniversary of the ADA. It is an unbelievable HONOR to be mentioned by a President of the United States on social media. It gives great hope and encouragement, especially for someone who is significantly disabled like me - that lives like mine are lives that have worth to society.***

Then I got to visit Washington DC to attend events around the 32nd Anniversary of the ADA. I got to meet President Joe Biden at the White House and VP Kamala Harris at the Naval Observatory. What a tremendous tremendous honor it is to get to go to the White House and shake hands with the POTUS.

I got to speak at the UN, just 40 years after my late grandpa did - my grandma was thrilled!

And give a TedX talk.

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8. My other interests, my goals and dreams

I do like other fun stuff too. I love to walk and admire the awe of nature. I especially love being around water - waterfalls, the ocean and the beach. I just want to live on the beach and watch the waves all day.

I love music, my fav genre is the Sai-Bhajans followed by Indian Classical music. I also like the Beatles and Bollywood/Tamil songs. 

I was learning tennis (in CA) and I love watching pro sports especially basketball, football & cricket. 

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