Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore visits NIE and gives a talk on sensitive periods of social brain development in adolescence

On 28 August 2023, the Science of Learning in Education Centre (SoLEC) at the Office of Education Research (OER), National Institute of Education collaborated with the Nanyang Technological University’s Centre for Lifelong Learning and Individualised Cognition (NTU-CLIC) and hosted Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a renowned expert in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge. Professor Blakemore gave a seminar titled “Sensitive periods of social brain development in adolescence” as part of the Strategic Growth Areas-Science of Learning (SGA-SoL) Seminar Series. She shared neuroscience research that indicates a period of heightened neuroplasticity during adolescence and discussed implications for social development. The event was graced by Mr Lai Chung Han, Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education, Professor Michelle Ellefson from the University of Cambridge, Professor Christine Goh, NIE Director, Professor Kenneth Poon, Dean of Education Research, Professor David Hung, Director of SoLEC, Dr Anne Rifkin-Graboi, Deputy Centre Director of SoLEC, and Dr Teo Chew Lee, Deputy Director of the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP). The seminar drew 120 attendees, including representatives from NIE, MOE, schools, and other institutions.