My Research at Vanderbilt
VKC Science Day
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Science Day - Tuesday, October 15, 2025
2024 Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Science Day will take place Tuesday, Oct. 15, beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Vanderbilt University Student Life Center. Posters will be hung in the Commodore Ballroom from 10:00-11:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the Commodore Ballroom. Science Day festivities will include lunch, two poster sessions, a keynote, and a Data Blitz, closing with a wine/cheese reception. Find updates for Science Day at the VKC Science Day webpage here: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/scienceday/
APS Poster Acceptance
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2024 4:36 PM
Subject: Your APS Submission Notification - Virtual Summit
Dear Hari,
Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your poster submission, "Navigating the Near: VR Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism", has been accepted for presentation at the 2024 APS Global Psychological Science Summit, October 23-24, 2024.
Congratulations, Hari, from the entire Frist Center Family. We are excited to see the results of your research!
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.
Hari’s continued outstanding achievements never fail to impress us! Congratulations, Hari, from the entire Frist Center Family. We are excited to see the results of your research!
Poster at CAN 2024
Yeah, I have another Poster Acceptance for the College Autism Network Summit 2024 in Oct.
================From: College Autism Network
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 2:41 PM
To: Srinivasan, Hari
Subject: College Autism Summit Submission Accepted - Poster
Dear Poster Participant:
We are pleased to inform you that your College Autism Summit submission titled 'Navigating the Near: Virtual Reality Investigations of Peripersonal Space in Autism' has been accepted.
………..
Best,
Amy Radochonski and Cherie Fishbaugh, Program Co-Chairs
Research headed to SfN 2024
My research abstract accepted at Society for Neuroscience, SfN 2024 conference.
I submitted an Abstract
Research time - Motion Tracking
Checking out some new gadgets and tech being set up at our soon to be 'immersive VR cave" at our research lab. The optictrack glove has sensors on to track hand movements movements seen in the video when I moved my hand up and down. Will be using some of this cool tech in my research on Peri Personal Space. Still being set up so more to come.
The Subtle Body
Last week I went for a talk by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in downtown Nashville.
- physical body (sthula sharira)
- subtle body (sukshma sharira)
- causal body (karana sharira)
- both extend beyond the physical boundaries of the body.
- PPS is thought to integrate information from both the body and the environment to guide our actions, which bears resemblance to the subtle body’s role as the seat of consciousness and the sensorimotor faculties.
- Also idea that PPS can be modulated by our state of mind or emotions (expand when we’re happy and contract when we’re afraid) is similar to subtle body’s changeability. (wonder if we can measure PPS in our dream state)
Some insights from Sri Sri’s talk quite humorous. Like, why do we only doubt the positive and never the negative. Eg: I love you. (Really?) I hate you. (Silence). Lol.
EEG Capping
Felt like a soggy swim cap. Not the most comfortable feeling but tolerable.
To clarify, in this photo I'm trying on the cap to see what it feels like as I will likely be using neuroimaging methods (EEG, fMRI etc) in my own research design and I will be studying issues in autism.
Psychiatry Symposium
https://www.vumc.org/psychiatry/AcademicPsychiatry2023
10:45-10:50am | Welcome and Introduction |
10:50-11:50am | Oral Session #1 |
11:50am-12:00pm | Break |
12:00-1:00pm | Collaboration Talks |
1:00-1:10pm | Break |
1:10-2:10pm | Poster Session |
1:10-1:40pm | Group A |
1:40-2:10pm | Group B |
2:10-2:20pm | Break |
2:20-3:20pm | Oral Session #2 |
3:20-3:25pm | Closing Remarks |
3:25-4:00pm | Ice Cream Social |
Peripersonal Space
Peripersonal space (PPS) is the region of space immediately surrounding the body, where sensory inputs from multiple modalities are integrated to guide actions and protect the body. In autism, alterations in PPS processing may contribute to challenges in sensory-motor integration, social interactions and spatial navigation. This area of research, which I am exploring in graduate school, holds promise for interventions at the individual level and disability accommodations at the societal level. Stay tuned for more in-depth posts on this topic.
PlainSpeak: Peripersonal space (PPS) is the space right around our bodies that helps us sense and respond to things nearby. For autistic individuals, differences in how this space is processed might explain some of the sensory and social challenges they face and how we navigate the space around us. I'm studying this in grad school and will be sharing more insights in upcoming posts.
Related Posts on [PPS] [Peripersonal Space]
SPSS Poster Presentation
Got to present my very first Research Poster at the SPSS (Society for Personality and Social Psychology) conference today.
Was an interesting experience.
Haas Scholars Spring Colloquium
Got the chance to present my to-date findings at the Haas Scholars Spring Colloquium.
08:02:53 From Leah Carroll to Everyone:
Goooooooo Hari, you're a rockstar!
08:02:59 From Laura Rambo to Everyone:
You got this Hari!!
08:03:05 From Christian Nixon to Everyone:
go Hari!!
08:03:25 From Eunice Paredes(She/ Her/ Ella) to Everyone:
Go Hari!!!
08:10:33 From Kevin McCarthy to Everyone:
Good stuff
08:11:33 From Laura Rambo to Everyone:
Omg how exciting!!!
08:12:44 From Bob Haas to Everyone:
Hari: Great research. You are Berkeley at its best! So proud that you are a Haas Scholar.
08:14:06 From Eunice Paredes(She/ Her/ Ella) to Everyone:
Wow
08:14:45 From David Yaden to Everyone:
This is fascinating and impressive research. Well-done, Hari!
08:16:44 From Dacher Keltner to Everyone:
you are a brilliant and revolutionary scholar Hari. You inspire.. thank you Haas Fellowship program
08:16:45 From Tonatiuh Beltran to Everyone:
Very informative Hari! And the graphs are super helpful
08:17:43 From Kevin McCarthy to Everyone:
Fascinating, enlightening and helpful
08:17:47 From Kristen Gillespie-Lynch to Everyone:
Really thought provoking and rich findings! And I love how you set up how to interpret the findings beforehand.
08:18:30 From Kevin McCarthy to Everyone:
I would not have learned this otherwise. Thank you, Hari.
08:21:36 From Tonatiuh Beltran to Everyone:
Incredible work 👏🏽
08:22:14 From Laura Rambo to Everyone:
Hari this is incredible!! KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK!
08:22:23 From Rungsiri Upradit to Everyone:
Amazing research!
08:22:34 From Patrick Dwyer (he/him) to Everyone:
Really cool research, Hari! I will look forward to seeing it print. I was particularly impressed that you measured SES and thought to include it as a covariate - so much literature doesn't distinguish effects of being autistic vs. the negative experiences and challenges that autistic people often experience, so it is great you did that. It's also awesome (pun not intended) to finally see some evidence of the hyper-empathy autistics have been talking about for a while. Thanks for this very informative and powerful presentation, Hari!
08:22:36 From Jae Manion (Pronounced Mann) to Everyone:
Per usual, Hari brought it all.
08:22:39 From Johnny Smith to Everyone:
Incredible, indeed! Bravo!!!
08:22:41 From Jonah Lounds (they/them) to Everyone:
Remarkable work Hari!
08:22:52 From Christian Nixon to Everyone:
absolutely outstanding!! amazing job, Hari!
08:22:55 From Steven Kapp to Everyone:
Excellent research Hari!
08:22:56 From Kevin McCarthy to Everyone:
Big facts!
08:22:57 From Bruce Carter to Everyone:
I am truly in AWE!
08:22:58 From Lawrence Fung to Everyone:
Amazing work, Hari!
08:23:03 From Jorge Mancillas to Everyone:
Great work, Hari!
08:23:04 From Tim Vogus to Everyone:
Hari, this work is outstanding. I love how many different explorations you took into the data. You really provide a holistic, nuanced, and rich view of awe. Truly exciting and opens up so many possibilities and new understandings.
08:23:06 From Hector Lopez-Orozco to Everyone:
You never fail to amaze me and be inspiring, Hari!
08:23:06 From Danielle Cosmes to Everyone:
We’re in awe of YOU!!
08:23:09 From Meg Evans to Everyone:
Fascinating work!
08:23:17 From Jennifer Ochoa to Everyone:
Wonderful job Hari!!
08:23:21 From Simran Kaur to Everyone:
Amazing Hari!!!!
08:23:27 From Seungwon Lee to Everyone:
So well organized and impactful!!! You’re AWEsome
08:23:34 From Leah Carroll to Everyone:
Hari you're making me cry.
08:23:37 From Laura Rambo to Everyone:
Same here
08:23:45 From Eunice Paredes(She/ Her/ Ella) to Everyone:
BRAVOOOOO!!!!!!!
08:23:46 From Kevin McCarthy to Everyone:
You have a bright future ahead of you, Hari
08:23:51 From Dacher Keltner to Everyone:
what a privilege to be your collaborator Hari. I am in awe
08:23:53 From Violet Henderson to Everyone:
Aware Hari
08:24:00 From Laura Rambo to Everyone:
We love you Hari!
08:24:04 From Violet Henderson to Everyone:
Awesome!!!
08:24:05 From karen nakamura to Everyone:
Incredible talk, thanks Hari
08:24:06 From Tonatiuh Beltran to Everyone:
❤️❤️❤️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
08:24:09 From Matthew Vilnit to Everyone:
Does an individuals experience of awe change over time?
08:24:34 From Tyler Shores @University of Cambridge to Everyone:
What a wonderful presentation. Bravo Hari! Can't wait to see what you do in the future.
08:24:39 From Susan Daniels to Everyone:
Congratulations, Hari! Excellent work!
08:24:46 From Tory Benson to Everyone:
Amazing work Hari!! Can’t wait to follow the rest of your research :’)
08:24:57 From Mary Kelsey to Everyone:
Can you give an example of a “small dose of awe” that would be helpful to those with autism?
08:25:42 From karen nakamura to Everyone:
Question: Given that most autistics are raised by non-autistic parents who are not aware of the internal world of autistic and how best to connect with it, and the discrimination that autistics experience; if autistics were raised in a pro-autistic environment what findings do you think would change most in your study?
08:26:13 From Christine Mullarkey to Everyone:
Feel send a longer answer by email - If "small doses" of awe may be most appropriate, how would you go about selecting the experience to get the right "amount of awe" for the individual. Being conscientious to avoid potential harm for overwhelm, but wanting to get enough awe for the benefits.
08:26:21 From Carissa Cascio to Everyone:
Fascinating work, Hari! I’m curious if you have hypotheses about why autistics’ experience of awe seems less tied to physiological sensations than non-autistics?
08:26:28 From Pushpa Raghavan to Everyone:
Hi Hari , Grandma from chennai all the best to you
08:26:35 From Leah Carroll to Everyone:
Can you say more about which emotions autistics feel more intensely, and which they feel less intensely? Are there patterns in what types of emotions are experienced in different ways?
08:27:00 From Leah Carroll to Everyone:
Welcome to Hari's Grandma, logging in from India!!!
08:27:05 From Debra Kraus to Everyone:
I'm in AWE of your beautiful soul and spirit. Thank you for sharing your work today. Congratulations!!!
08:27:25 From Keivan Stassun
Hari, incredible!!
08:27:26 From Lawrence Fung to Everyone:
Hari, this is spectacular research! It will be wonderful if this research can extend the existing domains included Research Domain Criteria in NIMH. Thoughts?
08:27:51 From Matt Stahl to Everyone:
those characteristics of awe you named at the start exactly characterize my experience of being included in this conference as an alumnus. Thank you!
08:28:18 From Heather Yaden to Everyone:
Thank you for the invite, Hari and congrats to all the amazing Haas Scholars!! ((:
Recruiting autistic participants for Research Study
Please participate if you are above age 18, autistic and live in the US.
SPSS
Another first coming up. I will be presenting my research poster at SPSS conference next Feb.
My first Psychology conference.