Research Thought Leaders
Dr. James S. Catterall
Dr. James S. Catterall is Professor Emeritus and past Chair of the Faculty at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Dr. Catterall is an Affiliate Faculty member at the UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, and Development. Dr. Catterall is also the Principal Investigator at the Centers for Research on Creativity, (CRoC), based in Los Angeles and London, UK. Dr. Catterall is coauthor of Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development, Arts Education Partnership’s (AEP) 2002 landmark compilation, which provides summaries of numerous significant research studies in dance, drama, the multi-arts, music and visual arts as well as comprehensive summaries written by some of the most recognized names in arts research.
Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman
Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Director of the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, Dee Wyly Distinguished University Chair and author of Make Your Brain Smarter, is committed to maximizing cognitive potential across the entire lifespan. As a cognitive neuroscientist with more than 40 funded research grants, Dr. Chapman's scientific study elucidates and applies novel approaches to advance creative and critical thinking, strengthen healthy brain development, and incite innovation throughout life.
Dr. Robert Root-Bernstein
Bob Root-Bernstein received his A.B. in Biochemistry (Robert Langridge) and his Ph. D. in the History of Science (Thomas Kuhn) from Princeton University and then did post-doctoral work in Theories in Biology (Jonas Salk) at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies where he received a MacArthur Fellowship. He is currently Professor of Physiology at Michigan State University, where he performs research on autoimmune diseases, the evolution of physiological systems, the nature of scientific creativity, and sciences-arts interactions. He is author of Discovering (Harvard, 1989), Rethinking Aids (Free Press, 1993), and with his wife Michele, Honey, Mud, Maggots and Other Medical Marvels (Free Press, 1997) and Sparks of Genius (Free Press, 1999). He is himself an amateur artist and musician.
Dr. R. Keith Sawyer
Dr. R. Keith Sawyer, a professor of education at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, studies creativity, learning, and collaboration. After receiving his computer science degree from MIT in 1982, he began his career with a two-year stint designing videogames for Atari. His titles included Food Fight, Neon, and Magician. From 1984 to 1990, he was a principal at Kenan Systems Corporation, where he worked as a management consultant on innovation technologies. His clients included Citicorp, AT&T, and U.S. West. Since receiving his Ph.D. in 1994, he has dedicated his career to research on creativity, collaboration, and learning. Dr. Sawyer has published fourteen books and over 80 scientific articles. His research has been featured on CNN, Fox News, TIME, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and other media. A popular speaker, he lectures to corporations, associations, and universities around the world on creativity and innovation. He has been a jazz pianist for over 30 years, and spent several years playing piano with Chicago improv theater groups.