2025 On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, leaving families and communities devastated and searching for answers. The 2025 On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium will explore recent advances in science and technology that are transforming how we predict and prevent suicide and self-harm.

The event will honor this year’s winner of the Sarah Gund Prize for Research and Mentorship in Child Mental Health, Matthew Nock, PhD, a professor at Harvard University and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient whose groundbreaking work has redefined our understanding of suicide and self-injury. Joining him are his protégé Christine Cha, PhD, and her protégé Ilana Gratch, PhD. Together, they will examine breakthroughs in risk detection and intervention — including artificial intelligence (AI), digital psychiatry tools, and wearable technology — that can help us recognize patterns sooner, respond faster, and create scalable solutions to save lives.

The symposium will culminate in a roundtable discussion where experts from epidemiology, psychiatry, and community-based care will tackle the urgent question: How do we turn these scientific breakthroughs into real-world solutions that reach every family and community?

• Critically examine the current landscape of suicide prevention research and apply insights to improve outcomes
• Identify and assess opportunities for AI and digital tools to enhance early risk detection and intervention in youth populations
• Evaluate ethical, cultural, and practical considerations for implementing innovative suicide prevention strategies in clinical and community settings

This virtual event will be recorded and shared with all registrants.

Continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists and social workers are available to registered course participants. Participants are eligible to receive 2.5 CE/CME credits. Learn more

From Prediction to Prevention in Youth Suicide and Self-Harm

This discussion will explore how breakthrough discoveries in suicide prevention can be translated into safe, equitable, and scalable real-world solutions. The experts taking part in this discussion are the following:

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, children’s mental health care experts, educators, parents, and young people who are interested in learning about current advancements in these fields. This symposium celebrates the spirit of scientific collaboration and stewardship, highlighting seminal contributions to our understanding of the brain and behavior.