Child Mind Institute’s 2023 ‘on the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium’ Explores Impact of Race, Income Disparities, and Social Structures on Mental Health Interventions

Symposium Unites World-Class Researchers, Children’s Mental Health Specialists, Educators, Parents, and Youth to Delve into Groundbreaking Neuroscience Advancements

New York, NY – The Child Mind Institute will host its13th annual On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium, a yearly celebration of scientific achievement in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and developmental neuroscience on Thursday, October 12th. The virtual event will explore the impact of race, income disparities and other social structures on the effectiveness of mental health interventions. In addition, the symposium will honor the work of exceptional high school students from across the country during the 12th Annual Rising Scientist Awards.

The symposium celebrates the spirit of scientific collaboration and stewardship, and highlights seminal contributions to our understanding of the brain and behavior. The 2023 Sarah Gund Prize for Research and Mentorship in Child Health will be presented to Dr. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, PhD, professor of clinical psychology and Director of the Global Center for Children and Families at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Rotherham-Borus is a leader in the recent push to use disruptive technologies to overcome healthcare disparities and will present her work on her groundbreaking programs to prevent a range of negative health outcomes for children and families who face structural marginalization. She will be joined by two of her mentees who will also present their work: Dr. Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and Dr. Chadwick K. Campbell, PhD, assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Following these presentations, there will be a roundtable discussion of technology’s ability to break down barriers to mental health care delivery in low- and middle-income communities. The panel includes Kathleen Merikangas, PhD, Senior Investigator and Chief, Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Giovanni Salum, MD, PhD, Program Director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, Child Mind Institute and Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Peter Szatmari, MD, professor at the University of Toronto, and Alison Bryant, PhD, Chief Research, Data, and Impact Officer, Sesame Workshop.

“We have the amazing opportunity to witness cutting-edge research and the brimming potential of future scientists. The Child Mind Institute is honored to celebrate the accomplishments of these renowned researchers and the next generation,” said Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, founding president and medical director of the Child Mind Institute. “The Rising Scientist Scholarship recipients remind us that the future of neuroscience discovery lies in the hands of these bright students. Together, we stand on the shoulders of giants, reaching new heights in our pursuit of understanding and supporting children’s mental health.”

The Child Mind Institute awards the 2023 Rising Scientist Scholarship to five exceptional high school students who show exceptional promise in research in the fields of psychology, neuroscience or biomedical engineering. The winners have the opportunity to present their work at the awards ceremony. This year’s winners are:

• Ryan Lee, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School – Plainview, NY 11803
• Maya Krishnan, La Jolla Country Day School – La Jolla, CA 92037
• Natasha Kulviwat, Jericho UFSD – Jericho, NY 11753
• Manas Kandath, Eldorado High School – Albuquerque, NM 87111
• Denise Rojas, Western High School – Anaheim, CA 92804

For more information and to register for the event, please visit here.

About On the Shoulders of Giants

The On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium is the Child Mind Institute’s annual celebration of scientific achievement in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and developmental neuroscience, bringing together world-class researchers with children’s mental health care experts, educators, parents, and young people interested in the advances in these fields. This symposium celebrates the spirit of scientific collaboration and stewardship, and it highlights seminal contributions to our understanding of the brain and behavior.

About the Child Mind Institute

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The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need. We’ve become the leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health by providing gold-standard evidence-based care, delivering educational resources to millions of families each year, training educators in underserved communities, and developing tomorrow’s breakthrough treatments. Learn more at childmind.org.

For press questions, contact our press team at childmindinstitute@ssmandl.com or our media officer at mediaoffice@childmind.org.