Distinguished Scholars to Discuss Literacy and Human Development at UW April 4-5

Two renowned scholars will discuss literacy, the brain and human development in a free public University of Wyoming Honors College-sponsored lecture series Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5.

Mary Helen Immordino-Yang will present “Solving the Frankenstein Problem: Why All Thinking Is Social, Emotional, Cultural and Cognitive to the Brain” April 4. Maryanne Wolf’s talk, “The Reading Brain in a Digital World: The Beauty, the Threat and the Choice Before Us,” will follow April 5.

Each keynote address will be at 4 p.m. in Room 506 of Coe Library. The speakers will delve into the connections among the brain, literacy and society, providing invaluable insights into human cognition and development.

Wolf, director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice at UCLA, is a leading expert in literacy and cognitive science. With more than 170 scientific publications, including the influential “Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital Culture,” her research has impacted the understanding of dyslexia, literacy and the effects of various media on intellectual development.

Immordino-Yang, the Fahmy and Donna Attallah Professor of Humanistic Psychology at the University of Southern California (USC), is founding director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education. She has pioneered innovative approaches to studying social-emotional and brain development, with significant implications for educational practice and policy.

Together, Wolf and Immordino-Yang will explore the intersections of neuroscience, psychology and education, offering valuable perspectives on learning, comprehension and interaction with the world. Their keynote lectures will enlighten and provide a thought-provoking experience for educators, researchers, students and those interested in the complexities of the human mind.

Wolf and Immordino-Yang will join the Honors College for a lunchtime event titled “Deep Diving Dialogues: The Role of Literacy in Our Development” at noon April 4 in the Tobin House.

For more information, visit the UW Honors College events website at www.uwyo.edu/honors/events.