The history of Cal Commencement: https://commencement.berkeley.edu/history/
Showing posts with label Honors/Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honors/Awards. Show all posts
PD Soros Fellow at Vanderbilt PhD Neuroscience
Can a person feel stunned+super excited AND nervous+disoriented all at the same time.
It's a veritable sea of emotions swirling inside me.
The news is rather surreal as I am in the final weeks of undergrad at Berkeley.
Two pieces of news actually.
I’m heading to a PhD Neuroscience at Vanderbilt in fall 2022.
# neuroscience #vanderbilt #PhD #Berkeley #Psychology
&
I join the prestigious ranks of the PD Soros Fellows, 2022.
@PDSoros
Who would have imagined this back in 7th grade middle school - special ed classroom where they still were teaching how to spell basic words like c-a-t. The school district had no intention of allowing me anywhere close to any sort of mainstream curriculum or a mainstream classroom. Their nod to mainstreaming was my being allowed to exist in the same school playground with non disabled kids at recess and lunch. Somehow we were expected to pick up skills, perhaps by osmosis, in that crazy noisy environment of screaming running kids
I lost count of the number of special ed classrooms I’ve been moved around during my elementary and middle school years - tossed from one unwilling special ed teacher to another. Imagine the psychological trauma inflicted on a very young child when educators, the ones who are supposed to support and nurture you, themselves don’t want you. Children don't get to attend their IEP meetings, but sometimes these meetings are held in the classroom after school with a classroom aide babysitting me at one end. I remember one such meeting with the special ed teacher loudly insisting I be moved out of her classroom. In kindergarten alone, I was moved 4 classrooms.
I also remember being in this classroom for sometime in between which was simply called Room 20 at Dilworth Elementary, which was a placeholder for all the special ed kids the district didn’t know what to do with. So the day was mostly walks, story time, circle time - like kindergarten on Groundhog Day repeat day after day, even at age 10. Anyway, by middle school I had been moved to a segregated special ed only school where I never got even that glimpse of any non disabled peers.
For much of my schooling years, education was like the candy in the candy store with me staring longingly at it through the store window.
It’s surreal, It’s like I’m now making up for all those years and years and years of sheer longing for education, years and years and years of missed education with compounded interest thrown in. It’s the sheer contrast of Room 20 to Berkeley.
My 7th grade special ed did not lead to a high school diploma let alone college. Today I stand on the cusp of a PhD program. Just imagine me in a doctoral program!
More than anything, it was really really really really really really really (can I add a few more "really's") a balm to the soul to hear PhD programs say they “wanted me” and that I was an unanimous selection by the departments.
(I think back on all the special education teachers who did not want me in their classrooms).
The PD Soros fellowship is this extra unexpected icing, a validation - that my life too has worth and I too can be a contributing member of society. That I am thought to be amongst those, “poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture, or their academic field.” That I too can rank amongst the best of the best.
The PD Soros fellowship is this extra unexpected icing, a validation - that my life too has worth and I too can be a contributing member of society. That I am thought to be amongst those, “poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture, or their academic field.” That I too can rank amongst the best of the best.
Getting my picture in the New York Times, is kinda cool too.
The road ahead is still fraught with uncertainties and transitions and there will be many things to navigate and trouble shoot in the next few years of grad school. It is going to be a harder journey given all challenges around my motor apraxia, communication/ behavioral /sensory challenges & anxiety. Fingers crossed for continued patience and understanding from others around me.
Today is a day to celebrate, to stop, admire and smell the roses of today. I don't think I am that flexible to actually reach my back so I will give myself that imaginary pat on the back and say,
PD Soros Fellow @ Vanderbilt PhD Neuroscience from fall. Way to Go Hari!!
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News Coverage of Award (link)
Social Media
So nice of Dr Josh Gordon (NIMH Director) to announce news of Vanderbilt and PD Soros at the beginning of the IACC meeting.
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I should frame this tweet as inspiration and aspiration.
Words of praise from the legendary Judy Heumann.
Thank you Judy for your words of praise. We all learn from you and strive to add those additional tiny pebbles that contribute to widening the ripples in the pond of change.
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Tweet from Prof Allison Harvey, who taught my Treatment of Mental Illness class
I was a research assistant in her Golden Bear Mood and Sleep clinic for 2 semesters.
Thank you Prof Harvey for your invaluable advice, support and encouragement during the grad school application process.
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I made it the cover of Berkeley News
Made it to page 5 of the New York Times
Haas Scholar Orientation
Day 1: Introduction & Icebreakers / Interdisciplinary Exchanges
Day 1: Virtual Escape Room Activity
Day 2: Interdisiplinary Brainstorming
Session with Bob Haas
Phi Beta Kappa
Newest Initiate @ Phi Beta Kappa of the "Alpha of California" at their induction ceremony.
Just now figured out why there was a fourth greek alphabet - UC Berkeley's is the first (alpha) chapter in California. Initial initiates were literally tested for their proficiency in Greek and Latin. LOL
PBK is as old as the US, founded in 1776 for literary pursuit and philosophical debate. Only 10% of US colleges have PBK chapters and only 10% of those get "elected" into PBK. Apparently you are "elected," into the society, not selected.
Coolest of all - Started as a "secret society" - with secret symbols, secret hand gestures & all - How about that!
Caveat - only males initially in this secret society (all these secret societies seem to be very male oriented)
Good news - UC Berkeley chapter started in 1898, by which time students of all sexes allowed. No longer secret, I guess!!
Just now figured out why there was a fourth greek alphabet - UC Berkeley's is the first (alpha) chapter in California. Initial initiates were literally tested for their proficiency in Greek and Latin. LOL
PBK is as old as the US, founded in 1776 for literary pursuit and philosophical debate. Only 10% of US colleges have PBK chapters and only 10% of those get "elected" into PBK. Apparently you are "elected," into the society, not selected.
Coolest of all - Started as a "secret society" - with secret symbols, secret hand gestures & all - How about that!
Caveat - only males initially in this secret society (all these secret societies seem to be very male oriented)
Good news - UC Berkeley chapter started in 1898, by which time students of all sexes allowed. No longer secret, I guess!!
The Invitation
I got an invitation to join the UC Berkeley Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a very prestigious academic honor society pbk.org & pbk.berkeley.edu
As the email invite said on Mar 5 state:
"It is my pleasure to inform you that based on your exceptional academic record in Letters & Science, you have been invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at the University of California, Berkeley.
Phi Beta Kappa is the premier academic honor society for L&S undergraduates, and its members include seven of the nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices as well as many UC Berkeley professors."
The virtual Initiation Ceremony held May 6, 2021, to induct the new members elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Chapter Alpha of California in 2021 and to honor the new members from 2020 as well as the 2020 and 2021 Graduate Fellowship recipients from PBKNCA and Alpha of California may now be viewed online at https://youtu.be/c3zLAeBcXPQ
UN Panel for World Autism Day
I was on the panel for the United Nations observance of World Autism Day. Held on Apr 8 as Apr 2 coincided with Good Fricay. It is extra special to be on a UN Panel as my late grandpa used to work for the United Nations. This year the event focused on the right to employment with theme “Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World.”
When: April 8, 10-11am EST
Topic: Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World
Recording of Event at: https://youtu.be/diZhgcTBPgk
My responses from the event
CV: Hari, How has the pandemic affected you?
Hello world. My late grandpa was a UN executive, so it's really extra special to be on this U N Panel today.
The pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities for many autistics like me.
Many autistics have a hard time with uncertainty and the pandemic has been like the ultimate uncertainty. There is also the disorientation due to the sense of a loss of time with each day of zoom meetings looking exactly the same.
Worldwide there has been a surge in mental health issues; the anxiety is compounded in autistics and often manifests as upticks in obsessive and repetitive behaviors, meltdowns, sleep disturbances etc.
On the flip side, while I miss the buzzing energy and life of campus, it's actually been a fantastic year for me, and I'm involved in so many projects and conferences now. For instance I just got selected as a Haas Scholar at UC Berkeley where I will be doing a year long research on autism.
Remote learning via zoom, has been ironically equalizing. In a large lecture class, everyone is on mute, even students who can talk. Control of the camera puts me in charge of the amount of atypical body mannerisms that others get to notice.
Remote work also reduces a lot of the anxieties around the constant societal need for physical social interactions, eye contact, and trying not to draw attention to my atypical mannerisms; all of which takes up extra mental effort and energy. So I’m actually able to get a lot more done now.
I also love that we are now able to seamlessly interact with people from around the world without the anxiety of travel. I did not think I would get to hear perspectives from Africa or Ireland like today for instance.
In the post pandemic world. I would love to see hybrid solutions for autistics so we get the advantages of both the remote and physical environments.
CV: Hari, Do you feel the pandemic has exposed discrimination against autistic individuals?
The pandemic exposed systemic flaws in societal attitudes. One is the lip service that was paid to accessibility in the pre pandemic world. For years the disability community has been asking for remote work or hybrid solutions as many faced access barriers in education and the workplace. We were told remote work was impossible. Yet it suddenly became possible overnight when there was a will for it. We can only hope that such benefits will continue in the post pandemic world with the virtual workplace the norm for many companies.
But we need to watch for a couple of issues. Who will decide who gets to work remotely and who does not?. Will the disabled community continue to be less protected?. And also that remote work will not result in greater isolation for the disabled community.
Some of us autistics benefited from zoom education but what has been troubling is that while regular education was able to transition to remote learning, hands on special education services abruptly stopped. Remote education or tele therapy did not work for many who need that physical one on one support and have other needs.
The disproportionate access to services meant that many autistics faced regression in skills that take time to build up like building independence in the community.
Adult autistics living in group residential settings were at higher risk for the spread of covid as well as medical rationing.
This is just a small list actually.
CV: And Hari, How do you think virtual job interviews during a pandemic affects autistic jobseekers??
Interviewers often form impressions of you in the first few minutes. Much as we would like to pretend otherwise, there is a certain societal expectation of the body language of a candidate. So I’m trying to gauge their mood, body language on top of worrying about my own atypical body mannerisms, eye contact and other sensory stimulation. There is a lot of mental and physical effort going into these extraneous things.
So virtual interviews could actually be a blessing in disguise. There is more control. A familiar physical space, the chair at the right height and you can position yourself and get comfortable well before the interview starts. Somehow the behavioral expectations are far less in the virtual world which means there is less mental effort. Virtual interviews are also more amenable to scripting which many autistics rely on. So I hope virtual interviews continue in the post pandemic world.
There is another thing I want to add on the topic of employment. It is disappointing that many diversity hiring initiatives by employers have only certain profiles of autistics in mind. We need to think about employment and accommodations for all autistics who want to work, irrespective of their communication levels and support needs. So that is why it's important that we start having these conversations not just in the US but around the world.
Tech rehearsal
Phi Beta Kappa
I got an invitation to join the UC Berkeley Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a very prestigious academic honor society pbk.org & pbk.berkeley.edu
As the email invite said on Mar 5 state:
"It is my pleasure to inform you that based on your exceptional academic record in Letters & Science, you have been invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at the University of California, Berkeley.
Phi
Beta Kappa is the premier academic honor society for L&S
undergraduates, and its members include seven of the nine U.S. Supreme
Court Justices as well as many UC Berkeley professors."
Model Hari !!
So I'm now a Model :)
What's Next.
Have to say, being at Cal is a more interesting experience.
I was so tickled by the idea when Cal Student Store sent me an email just before college started.
An alternate career path in my future. LOL
When a President Mentions You
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG....
I got mentioned on President Barack Obama's Instagram. Total honor. too thrilling.
As we continue to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I thought I would share the stories of three young activists leading the charge in the disability rights movement. Storm, Hari, and Noah are working in their communities––at their schools, places of work, neighborhoods––to advocate for a future that is more inclusive and accessible for all people.
Through storytelling, Storm uses her work as a producer to expand representation in the media. She wants to make sure that the stories of people in the Deaf community––one that she’s proud to be a part of––aren’t ignored. As a student studying Psychology at UC Berkeley, Hari educates his peers by sharing his experience as a minimally speaking autistic while teaching a semester-long class on autism. While working as a coordinator for Chicago Adapt, Noah founded an organization to advocate for disability rights for international, first-generation, and immigrant students with disabilities.
Change happens from the ground up––and these three are leading the way in their communities.
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On Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/hzqe33/berkeley_student_hari_srinivasans_story_shared_in/
President of Spectrum Autism At Cal
So I'm President of the Spectrum: Autism At Cal,
Student Org at UC Berkeley, for 2020-21
I had not even tried for the President role to begin with. Though I was offered the role, I was not planning to take it on. In fact, I was helping the outgoing President with our new org structure and interview candidates for all the board positions including the position of President. The experience of interviewing for positions was quite interesting actually as I got to know a lot about the candidates - both in terms of their skills and personality for the tasks required and their general attitude toward autism and what was their driving motivation. I got to witness this additional side of them which you don't see in your day to day interactions and was so impressed by their passion. This was very different from the interviews I do to get student reactions and experiences for Daily Cal articles.
Spectrum: Autism at Cal (SpectrumAtCal.org), had its first autistic President last year - Cole Hasserjian (Cole is also featured in my Daily Cal article on autistic students at UC Berkeley - It Really Is A Spectrum). The org has had neurotypical presidents in the past. So that will make me the second autistic President of Spectrum and the first Non-Speaking President.
The org has grown quite a bit since the time I've been at Cal. So much so, that the board org structure was expanded and updated for the coming year. The org has both autistic and neurotypical students and around half of this year's board are on the spectrum. There were also way more more applicants than the number of positions on the board. There will of course be need for even more people for the various committees that we will be forming for the different tasks; recruitment efforts begin in fall. The intern positions will be advertised in the first two weeks in fall as well. What was encouraging about the high number of applicants is that it seems to indicate a higher level of interest and awareness about autism and wanting to do something around it. A bigger org also means a lot more work for the President. In the final analysis and after much discussion with the outgoing President, I found myself in the role of President along with Eli Oh. It will be good to have a "speaking" person as there will be tasks which will be challenging for me to do physically either due to spoken-communication-challenges, sensory-challenges, fine-motor challenges or the oft unexpected vagaries of my particular brand of autism.
I will of course be leading the Autism DeCal class in 2020-21 as well. I absolutely love running this class. The DeCals are student-run, "democratic education", which are faculty sponsored and for academic credit. The Autism DeCal falls under the Psychology Department and is offered for 1 academic unit and runs for 1.5 hours a week for the semester (Psych 98/198 1:54 Autism Spectrum Disorders). Where possible, the Autism DeCal instructors work with the Spectrum Org; students in the class also get a chance for more exposure to Autism by volunteering with Spectrum. As both an autistic and as the Autism DeCal instructor, I have been quite involved with all that Spectrum has been doing since my second semester .
Hoping to build on the momentum in the next year. Especially want to see us expand our volunteering given our university actively encourages and is known for volunteerism and activism. Berkeley is an incubator for social justice change-makers. The Covid-19 threw quite a spanner in the works for Spectrum's biggest fundraiser of the year- our Annual 5K Run / 3K Walk in April (Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month). We keep our fingers crossed for fall and will have to course correct to online alternatives where possible if access to campus is still restricted.
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