Shaw-IAU Workshops by the OAE

We describe the activities and lessons learned from a physics and astronomy research internship program operated by the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University. The program is intended to engage and support neurodiverse learners in research experiences that prepare them for success in university, graduate school, and future research careers. We describe the program goals, outcomes, and tools that have been developed for use by others seeking to increase the participation and success of neurodiverse individuals in astronomy careers.

About Keivan Stassun

Keivan Stassun is an astrophysicist whose research on stars and exoplanets has appeared in more than 400 articles. The parent of an autistic teenager, and with the generous endowment support of the Frist family, Stassun launched the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation at Vanderbilt University, focused on engineering technologies and transforming workplaces in scientific research, in support of and inspired by neurodiversity.

Watch a recording of this talk (external link)