The University of Colorado at Boulder's Graduate School will present a symposium titled "Thinking Alternatives: Research and Cognitive Disabilities" at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 in the University Memorial Center's Glenn Miller Ballroom.
Free and open to the public, the event will feature a panel of several CU-Boulder experts in cognitive disabilities who will speak about how research can be applied to cognitive disabilities and address problems. The symposium will be hosted by CU President Elizabeth Hoffman and feature an overview by David Braddock, director of the new CU Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities.
CU-Boulder faculty participating in the event include computer science Professor and Institute of Cognitive Science fellow Gerhard Fischer and sociology Professor Jane Menken, director of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Other participants include psychology Professor Richard Olson, also a fellow in the Institute for Behavioral Genetics, and religious studies Professor Rodney Taylor, associate vice chancellor at the Graduate School.
The Coleman Institute was founded by Bill and Claudia Coleman in January 2001 through a $250 million gift, creating the first system-wide institute in CU's history. Cognitive disabilities include mental retardation and other developmental disabilities including autism, traumatic brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer's disease and other disabilities.
"This should be a very good forum to share information on cognitive disabilities with the public, faculty and students," said Braddock. "This is an important topic, and one we hope to make significant progress in during the coming years."
Parking will be available at meters in front of the UMC and at the Euclid Avenue Autopark just southeast of the UMC.