CCRC Colloquium: Allyson Mackey (Penn)
CCRC Colloquium: Allyson Mackey (Penn)
12:20pm - lunch served
12:45pm - talk
1:30pm - Q&A
Title: Brain Development and Plasticity: Implications for Education
Abstract: TBD
Bio: Allyson Mackey is an Assistant Professor in Pscyhology at the University of Pennsylvania. BS, Biological Sciences, Stanford University. PhD, Neuroscience, University of California Berkeley
I am interested in how changes in the brain give rise to changes in the mind, both as development unfolds, and in response to experience. Over the course of development, maturational changes restrict plasticity. These changes are generally adaptive as they allow for the development of mature function, and prevent drastic remodeling in response to stress or injury. However, reduced plasticity limits the acquisition of new facts and skills. Therefore, developing brains must strike a balance between plasticity/vulnerability and stability/protection. My lab studies the mechanisms by which environmental factors tip this balance to shorten or shift windows of peak plasticity.
My years in inner city public schools, first as a student, and then as a researcher, have led me to concentrate my translational work on reducing the income achievement gap. Ultimately, the goal of my research is to promote positive educational and health outcomes for all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic background.