WKU News

Friday, June 21, 2024 – Staff members from The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University presented at the thirteenth Wallace Research Symposium on Talent Development. Julia Link Roberts, Executive Director, and Tyler Clark, Assistant Director of Operations, presented on “Navigating Parenthood with Preschool Potentially Twice-Exceptional Children.” This research was conducted through a partnership with the Building Bridges to Kindergarten program, directed by Beth Schaeffer of the Renshaw Early Childhood Center. Other collaborators on the research included Hasan Akdeniz, Postdoctoral Researcher, and Mary Evans, Program Developer.

“The Wallace Research Symposium on Talent Development was a great place to learn about the latest research in the field of gifted education and talent development.” Tyler Clark commented. “It was especially nice to share our research on young twice-exceptional children and get feedback from leading researchers and thought leaders.”

According to its organizers, this thirteenth symposium provided an opportunity for researchers from around the world to present their current work on talent development, creativity, and advanced education and served as a catalyst to all for innovative programming and policy. This year featured four keynote addresses, six invited presentations, two panel discussions, fifty paper presentations, and thirty-six posters.

More About the Wallace Research Symposium on Talent Development

A generous endowment from the Wallace Research Foundation makes possible the Wallace Research Symposia on Talent Development. Henry B. (H.B.) Wallace was an exceptionally talented individual who used his abilities to enhance society. H.B. and his wife, Jocelyn, deeply cared about students and the future of American education and demonstrated this caring by their outstanding support of the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa. H.B. and Jocelyn strongly believed that the future of America rested with its young people and that students of exceptional educational promise should have every opportunity to develop their talents and then use these talents to better society.

More About The Center for Gifted Studies

Located on the Western Kentucky University campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky, The Center for Gifted Studies has been serving children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents for over 40 years. The Center provides exciting educational opportunities for gifted young people, rigorous professional development for teachers, and support for parents of gifted young people. Under the direction of Dr. Julia Roberts, The Center has become one of the preeminent advocates for gifted education in the United States.

For more information or any questions, contact Tyler Clark at (270) 745-3101 or thomas.clark@wku.edu.