Fellowships & Awards
- NSF Graduate Research Fellow
- NISE Fellow (Neurodiversity Inspired Science & Engr)
- PD Soros Fellow
- AIRP-ANSWER Fellow
- Public Voices Fellow
My Research
I'm a PhD NEUROSCIENCE student at VANDERBILT University investigating sensorimotor systems in autism [Primer on Sensory Neuroscience] in autism, with a specific focus on peripersonal space (PPS) [Primer on PPS].
PPS is the immediate area just outside our skin that we perceive as our actionable space. For example, when a ball is thrown unexpectedly in your direction at a park, you’ll react only if you perceive it will enter your PPS zone. Multisensory neurons are more reactive within this dynamic and flexible zone. Prior research suggests that PPS is smaller and less flexible in autism.
My research aims to delve deeper into this phenomenon using a novel VR/AR task integrated with neuroimaging. A crucial design consideration for me was to keep my research task simple and intuitive. This approach will hopefully allow me to include a wider profile of autistics who are traditionally left out of research. I am co-mentored by Prof Mark Wallace (Multisensory Lab) and Prof Carissa Casio (LASR Lab).
My research is deeply rooted in lived experience (Autism and ADHD since childhood), aiming to bridge gaps in understanding sensory processing in autism and improve therapeutic approaches. So a longer goal is to translate research findings into practical solutions both at the individual level (using AI/ML to help train flexibility) and at the societal level in terms of disability accommodations based on PPS insights. Disability accommodations should not be an afterthought but an integral part of task and environmental design.
My Vanderbilt, Research, and Nashville experiences can be found at posts with following hashtags on the sidebar.
- #Vanderbilt, #Vanderbilt Brain Institute, #VanderbiltNews
- #Frist Center for Autism & Innovation, #FristCenter, #FCAI
- #Neuroscience, #Sensorimotor, #AutiResearch
- #Nashville, #LifeMoments
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