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Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
60th Anniversary Virtual Celebration
Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development was founded on May 29, 1965. In the 60 years since its convocation, the way we think about and speak about intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has changed exponentially. As such, we have also adapted our research methods, training approaches, clinical services, and interventions to evolve with the times. What insights have we learned about disabilities since the establishment of the VKC, what are our current goals and challenges, and what do we hope the next generation of researchers and clinicians will accomplish in the years ahead?
Join us for a lively discussion with VKC friends and colleagues past and present as they discuss their experiences at the Center, how the VKC has impacted their careers, and why IDDRC, UCEDD, and LEND programs are vital to the advancement of IDD research.
- Jeff Neul, M.D., Ph.D., Annette Schaffer Eskind Chair and Director, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center; Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Pharmacology, and Special Education, Vanderbilt University
- Elisabeth Dykens, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University
- Pat Levitt, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Vice President, and Director, Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
- Len Abbeduto, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Director, University of California-Davis MIND Institute
- Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., Dean and Director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute and Hattie B. Munroe Professor of Psychiatry, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., Suzanne Crosby Murphy Professor of Developmental Neuropsychiatry at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Director of the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), and Columbia University
- Meghan Burke, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education, Vanderbilt University
- Carol Westlake, Senior Advisor, Tennessee Disability Coalition
- Stephen Camarata, Ph.D. (moderator), Professor of Hearing & Speech Sciences and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University
- Evon Batey Lee, Ph.D. (moderator), Professor of Pediatrics, Psychology, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences; Director of Training, UCEDD; Director, Vanderbilt Consortium LEND
Register NOW by clicking this link.
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Mission:
The mission of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) for Research on Human Development is to improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through research, service, training, dissemination, and educational advocacy.
The VKC welcomes participants with disabilities. Contact kc@vumc.org for disability access information.
CALL FOR POSTER ABSTRACTS NOW OPEN!
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
16th Annual Science Day
Monday, October 6, 2025
11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
| REGISTER TO ATTEND SCIENCE DAY |
- The Call for Abstracts and registration opened Tuesday, July 1
- Deadline to enter the Science Day Presentation Competition is Friday, August 8
- Deadline for non-competing presentation entries is Friday, August 22
Highlights
Cash prizes for best presentation may be awarded to one undergraduate student overall and one graduate student and postdoctoral fellow in each of the following research themes:
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Research
- Clinical, Behavioral, Education, and Intervention Research
- Systems Neuroscience Research
Additional prizes may be awarded for research that best demonstrates multidisciplinary collaboration, research that best focuses on underrepresented populations, and research that best includes individuals with lived experiences in research development
Winners of the best abstract (one grad and postdoc per theme) will be asked to present a lightning talk during Science Day
Presenters (first authors) become eligible to request VKC Professional Development Awards ($250 maximum) to present during a scientific or professional conference in the next year.
| SUBMIT A POSTER ABSTRACT HERE |
Attention parents and caregivers of youth with disabilities, and professionals working with students with disabilities in Tennessee. You are invited to a free training session on Tuesday, July 22. The session will focus on planning for life after high school, covering work, education, and independent living. The WAZE to Adulthood presentation is hosted by TNSTEP in partnership with the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC).
Register today! https://bit.ly/3FIkPhy
Join Disability Connection Midsouth and Family Engagement in Special Education for an event designed to help families better understand special education services and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process specifically.
Learn how parent involvement improves student success, explore your rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and gain an overview of the IEP process for eligible students through the following presentations:
– Overview of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) (10 a.m.)
– Special Education 101 (2 p.m.)
Register today at their website.
ABLE Enrollment for the Service Provider: Steps, Tools and Support
Join us on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 from 2:00–3:00 pm ET for a step-by-step walkthrough of the ABLE account enrollment process for disability service providers.
You’ll learn directly from leaders at Ascensus and Vestwell State Savings, two key ABLE Program Managers who power the online platforms for 43 ABLE savings plans. They will share how they have customized the ABLE account enrollment process specifically for organizations and authorized legal representatives who will open and help manage multiple ABLE accounts.
Lauri Maloney, Director of ABLE Savings Plan Advocacy and Growth, Ascensus, and David Bell, Vice President, Vestwell State Savings, will share their enrollment experience, answer common questions and share how their platforms support accessibility, security and efficiency. This session is designed to equip you with the tools and clarity needed to confidently support ABLE enrollment for multiple individuals.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how easy it is to open and manage multiple ABLE accounts and assist individuals you serve to save money while maintaining eligibility for needed benefits with Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)!