Summit Explores Neuroscience of Twice-Exceptionality

The Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education & Talent Development at the University of Iowa and the Iowa Neuroscience Institute (INI) hosted a Summit on the Neuroscience of Twice-Exceptionality this week. The event featured 24 speakers, presenters, and panelists over two days of virtual learning. “This summit is an opportunity for scientists, psychologists, educators, students, and parents, all who are deeply committed to better understanding twice-exceptionality, to learn from each other and promote a sense of community,” said Daniel Clay, dean of the Iowa College of Education; J. Brooks Jackson, dean of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine; and Kevin Kregel, university executive vice president and provost. Representatives from Belin-Blank and INI realized the potential intersections for research, and bringing together professionals from various disciplines “was a natural next step to addressing the parallel myths that individuals with high cognitive ability have no other cognitive problems or that individuals with a diagnosed disorder do not have high cognitive ability.”   In 2e research and beyond, collaboration is key. “I firmly believe we make the best progress when we collaborate and communicate across disciplines, and that is what happened as a result of the summit,” Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, associate director of the Belin-Blank Center, told 2e News. “It was very invigorating to hear so many diverse perspectives on improving the lives of high ability people with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).” Dr. Ted Abel, founding director of INI, kicked off the summit with a keynote on the mechanisms of memory storage and how increased knowledge in this area can inform cellular approaches to enhance cognition. Dr. Gregory Wallace followed with an exploration of autism and giftedness, including the relatively high rate of special talents within the autistic population. Drs. Alissa Doobay, Duhita Mahatmya, and Foley-Nicpon then hosted a panel exploring the findings from decades of research done at Belin-Blank, and Dr. Thomas Nickl-Jockschat delivered a keynote on disrupted brain patterns. Dr. Seth King presented on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in supporting twice-exceptional learners, and Dr. Sally Reis’ keynote shared research backing up the benefits of implementing a strength- and talent-based approach with 2e kids.