WISHFest Waterbury

2023 Reed Fellow

Sandra M. Chafouleas, Ph.D.
Sandra M. Chafouleas, Ph.D.  is the 2023 Reed Fellow, a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Neag Endowed Professor in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Chafouleas also is the founder and co-director of the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH). Her work focuses on assisting schools in implementation of policies and practices that support the whole child, with specific expertise in strategies to support mental health and emotional well-being. “Feel Your Best Self” Project featured by NPR.

UConn Waterbury Honorary Fellow 2023

Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D.
Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D. is the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, and the Founder & Executive Director of Neuroscape, a translational neuroscience center engaged in technology development and scientific research of novel brain assessments and optimization tools. Dr. Gazzaley is co-founder of Akili and JAZZ Venture Partners. He has been a scientific advisor for dozens of companies including Apple, GE and Janssen. He has filed multiple patents - notably his invention of the first video game cleared by the FDA, authored over 170 scientific articles and delivered over 700 invited presentations around the world. He wrote and hosted the nationally televised PBS special “The Distracted Mind with Dr. Adam Gazzaley”, and co-authored “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World”, winner of the 2017 PROSE Award. Dr. Gazzaley is the recipient of the 2015 SfN Science Educator Award, 2020 Global Gaming Citizen Honor and named in Newsweek's 2021 Inaugural list of America’s Greatest Disruptors. He is a Board of Trustee, Science Council Member and Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences.  

 Title: A New Era of Experiential Medicine for a Healthy Mind
Abstract: A fundamental challenge of our global healthcare system is the development and distribution of effective treatments to enhance cognition in those suffering from diverse psychiatric and neurological conditions. Dr. Gazzaley will describe the use of custom-designed, closed-loop video games to achieve cognitive benefits in both healthy individuals and patients. This approach has now yielded the first FDA-approved video game for any clinical condition. He will share with you the next stage of his research program, which integrates digitally-delivered experiences with the innovations in machine learning, virtual reality, multimodal physiological recordings, non-invasive electrical brain stimulation and psychedelics to enhance cognition. 

UConn Waterbury Honorary Fellow 2023

Richie Davidson, Ph.D.  
Richie Davidson, Ph.D.  is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. He is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. A friend and confidante of the Dalai Lama, he is a highly sought after expert and speaker, leading conversations on well-being on international stages such as the World Economic Forum, where he serves on the Global Council on Mental Health. He has co-authored a number of books with authors such as Daniel Goleman. Time Magazine named Davidson one of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2006.

Title: Well-being is a Skill
Abstract: Just like being physically in shape means regular exercise, supporting one’s emotional well-being begins with a training program - for the mind. In this talk, world renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Richard J. Davidson discusses the scientific concept of neuroplasticity and how research in the lab confirms that well-being is a skill that can be taught. By learning and practicing the skills associated with awareness, connection, insight, and purpose - anyone can have a healthier mind, despite their external circumstances. Based on four decades of contemplative neuroscientific research, Dr. Davidson outlines a path to well-being for anyone in this highly relevant talk.