June 03, 2014
Dr. Philip Rubin, who is the Principal Assistant Director for Science at the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the White House, visited us on June 3, 2014. The former CEO and Senior Scientist of Haskins Laboratories at Yale University (where VL2/Gallaudet now has a Memorandum of Understanding with), Dr. Rubin is especially tasked with leading the White House’s neuroscience initiatives. We very much enjoyed the opportunity to explain to Dr. Rubin our new findings on the importance of early visual language experience in effecting functional brain changes in deaf children, leading to advantages outcomes in reading and learning. We showed him our investigative technologies, including our fNIRS and eye-tracking rooms, and described our new Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience (PEN) program. His visit culminated with a wonderful discussion of Dr. Rubin’s longtime support for VL2 and potential opportunities to capitalize on BL2’s capabilities as a functional neuroimaging center in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Thanks for visiting, Dr. Rubin!
Photographed (left to right) are Geo Kartheiser, PEN student and BL2 intern; Adam Stone, PEN student, and BL2 intern; Dr. Laura-Ann Petitto, BL2 Scientific Director, and VL2 Science Director; Dr. Clifton Langdon, PEN Assistant Professor & BL2 Lead Scientist; and Dr. Melissa Herzig, VL2 Research and Translation Manager & PEN Associate Director.