GloRIA

Biography

Eric Mazur is the Professor of Physics and Applied Physics from Balkanski and was Dean of Applied Physics at Harvard University. He is also a member of the Faculty of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and President of the Optical Society. Prof. Mazur is a prominent physicist known for his contributions in nanophotonics, an internationally recognized educational innovator, and a sought after speaker . He has received many awards for his work in physics and in education , e.g., the 2014 Minerva Prize for Advancements in Higher Education. Prof. Mazur has also founded several successful companies.

Topic：Innovating Education to Educate Innovators

Abstract

Can we teach innovation? Innovation requires whole-brain thinking: right-brain thinking for creativity and imagination, and left-brain thinking for planning and execution. Our current approach to education in science and technology, focuses on the transfer of information, developing mostly right-brain thinking by stressing copying and reproducing existing ideas rather than generating new ones. I will show how shifting the focus in lectures from delivering information to team work and creative thinking greatly improves the learning that takes place in the classroom and promotes independent .