NEXT TALK: Next talk 31st of October, 7pm - Sesonal mood disorders
Cittie Of Yorke, 22 High Holborn, WC1V 6BN
Genetics, neuroscience and education
Tuesday, 29th of September 2015
The talk considers potential contributions of genetics to neuroscience and education. Many findings have recently emerged from genetic research, suggesting that genetic effects are not static or deterministic, but change throughout life and in different educational and cultural contexts. For example, academic achievement - such as performance in reading, language and mathematics - has been found to be highly heritable throughout school education in the UK. On the contrary, heritability of general cognitive ability is only moderate in the early school years and increases gradually, reaching substantial levels in adulthood. I will also describe recent advances in molecular genetic and genomic research that attempts to identify specific genes throughout the genome responsible for ubiquitous genetic influence. Finally, I will discuss the reasons for the cautious or even negative general view about genetics in education and how this view can and should be improved.
Yulia Kovas is a Professor of Genetics and Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she is also the director of InLab (International Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Investigations into Individual Differences in Learning). She also directs the Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioural Genetics at Tomsk State University (TSU); and co-directs the International Centre for Research in Human Development at TSU; and the Russian-British Laboratory of Behavioural Genetics (Goldsmiths & Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow). Her research programme involves international, interdisciplinary investigations into individual differences in learning, with particular focus on mathematical ability and other STEM fields. She leads the genetically informative research into mathematical development in the Twins Early Development Study at King’s College, London; and directs the Russian School Twin Registry.
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