Neurotransmitters Flow in this Autism Mind

504 sit in

Remembering the disability rights leaders and the landmark 504 sit in, that laid the path for today's generation.

The Lancet and Cell Press Panel - Inclusive Langauge in Scientific Publishing

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuazLmv7hFo

Virtual forum presented by Cell Press and The Lancet.

Discussion exploring neurodiversity in science and the scientific community. Beginning with a short introduction to the concepts of neurodiversity and the social model of disability, speakers Mary Doherty (University College Dublin), Hari Srinivasan (Vanderbilt University), and Axelle Ahanhanzo (LAUDACE) will offer insights into making spaces safer for neurodivergent people, discuss intersectionality and neurodivergence, and unpack the importance of evolving scientific language to reflect lived experiences while ensuring rigorous scientific investigation.

Moderated by Matthew Gilbert (The Lancet), Sri Narasimhan (Cell), and Amy Slogrove (The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health), this event will feature three short talks from our panelists, followed by time for discussion and questions.

Cell Press’s virtual event series on inclusive language in publishing brings together researchers and experts with the key perspectives needed to make science and the language of scientific publishing more inclusive and accurate. We’re now proud to offer these events—begun in 2023 as an internal Cell Press series to educate and support our editors and staff—to the broader scientific community. As an integral part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, these events seek to expand the reach of our speakers’ insightful perspectives and support our commitment to advocating for science and scientists.

Panelist Hari Srinivasan, is a PhD neuroscience student researching the sensory domain in autism at Vanderbilt University, an alum of UC Berkeley where he ran a class on autism, a PD Soros Fellow, a Distinguished Fellow at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and more.

Hari also writes extensively on disability and autism issues with multiple high impact essays in high profile media such as Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Boston Globe and Psychology Today.

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.

NSF Grad Research Fellowship History

Some interesting history about the NSF Graduate Research fellowship award that I just got.

I did not know this was the oldest award.

From their website

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is the country's oldest fellowship program directly supporting graduate students in STEM fields. Since 1952, NSF has selected more than 46,500 students to receive graduate research fellowships, out of more than 500,000 applicants. Forty of the GRFs have gone on to become Nobel laureates, and more than 440 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences.

The GRFP has a long history of investing in students with demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering. The investments have paid off well: Among more than 200 Nobel laureates who have had NSF support, 40 were selected as Graduate Research Fellows. GRFs are also well-represented among government leaders, business executives, writers, and members of the National Academy of Sciences--from Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, to Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt.

Awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Thrilled at the news.

More pats of encouragement.

Got awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

April 04, 2024

Dear Hari Srinivasan:

Congratulations! You have been selected to receive a 2024 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship...

NSF publishes the names of Fellowship Offers at https://www.research.gov/grfp/. ...

Being chosen as a NSF Graduate Research Fellow is a significant national accomplishment and places you among an elite group of Fellows, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in STEM or STEM education. We wish you similar success in your graduate studies and continued progress toward your aspirations throughout your career.

Yours sincerely,
Jacqueline Huntoon, PhD
Division Director
Division of Graduate Education

Keynote at Duke ACE

An HONEST and POWERFUL talk I've heard in a long time.

Hari Srinivasan's presentation "Redefine the Table" for the Duke Center for Autism & Brain Development / Duke Autism Center of Excellence, called for a paradigm shift!

"Only when you think [of] possibility, can the door of opportunity open."

What's wrong:

- Inequity of access to support and resources
- Systemic discrimination (!!) and low expectations in education
- Industries that exploit autism solely for massive profits and lack accountability (!!)
- Limited scope of autism research
- Language divide within the community

What needs to change:

1) Develop solutions for the most marginalized
2) Combat discrimination and raise expectations in education
3) Create affordable, accessible therapies focused on progress, not profit
4) Expand research to include diverse autistic individuals
5) Foster acceptance of both person-first and identity-first language

https://www.dailycal.org/2018/03/15/first-transitions

Solutions, not more autism days

Duke ACE Keynote

Neurodiversity Inspired Science and Engineering Fellow Hari Srinivasan will speak at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development Autism Seminar Series on April 3rd at 4:00 pm ET, virtually on Zoom. Hari will deliver the Autism Acceptance Month Keynote Entitled "Autism Acceptance Month Keynote: 'Redefine the Table'." Registration is available at the following link: https://ow.ly/r5l150QOpai

Understanding Hostile Attribution Bias in Autism

in PlanSpeak Plain Language for Lay Reader

Hostile Attribution Bias is when someone thinks others are being mean or hostile, even when their actions are unclear or accidental. For example, if a person with this bias gets accidentally bumped into, they might believe it was done on purpose. This can lead to more misunderstandings because they react as if they are being threatened.

Hostile Attribution Bias and Autism.

But because autistic people often struggle with social cues and communication, it's possible they might also experience this bias.

Studies have found that autistics are more likely to see ambiguous situations as hostile compared to non-autistics. This can lead to higher levels of social anxiety and problematic behaviors like aggression or self-injury.

The Role of Society However, this bias in autistic people might not just be due to their difficulty with social cues. It can also come from a lifetime of facing social stigma, exclusion, and misunderstanding. When someone is repeatedly treated negatively, they can become more sensitive to potential threats. They lose trust that others will treat them well. This sensitivity means they might see even innocent actions as harmful.

Challenges Faced by Autistics. Autistics often face unique social challenges and stigma, which can make interpreting social cues even harder. They are frequently misunderstood and rejected. This is even worse for those with more noticeable behaviors or communication issues. From a young age, they might be placed in educational systems with low expectations, reinforcing a belief that they can't succeed. The very people (professional/educators) put in place to support them can often end up limiting opportunities and discriminating againsst them. This cycle of negative experiences can make them more likely to develop hostile attribution bias.

Impact on Mental Health. The combination of social difficulties inherent in autism and external societal stigma can create a strong foundation for developing hostile attribution bias. This not only affects their social interactions but also adds to their mental health struggles.

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Read more on Hostile Attribution Bias: [Version for Scientific/Academic Audience], [PlainSpeak for the Lay Reader], [A Simple Definition]

Related Posts on [Neuroception], [Negative Attribution Bias]