Full PreFrontal: Exposing the Mysteries of Executive Function
We have all done it; followed the GPS blindly and reached the international terminal instead of the domestic one or forgotten to turn off the car lights, leaving them on overnight. The only solution is to pay attention to attention and see how to get it under our conscious control.
On this episode, Courtney Stevens, PhD, a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Willamette University in Portland discusses selective attention and the bearing it has on learning, thinking, and behavior throughout your lifespan. Attention is a gateway to information processing and it’s vital that a connection be made transparent between attention, thinking, and Executive Function.
About Dr. Courtney Stevens
Courtney Stevens, PhD, is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Willamette University. She is an expert in the development and plasticity of the human brain, including the role of stress and early socioeconomic adversity on neural systems. In the course of her research, Stevens has partnered with preschool, K-12, and college programs to study factors that influence students’ academic success and emotional well-being. In one line of research, she has contributed to the development and evaluation of a program to support families with preschool children living in poverty, including adaptations for different cultural contexts. Her research has been funded by the NSF and NIH. Dr. Stevens has been recognized with national awards for excellence in teaching and neuroscience outreach. She has presented her research nationally and internationally, to academic, policy, and community audiences. Dr. Stevens completed her undergraduate degree at Reed College and her master’s and doctorate at the University of Oregon.
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About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.