2024 Edufest Opening Keynote

Susan Baum

Susan Baum, Ph.D. is the Provost of the Bridges Graduate School for Cognitive Diversity in Education and the Co-Director of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development at Bridges Academy, a school for twice exceptional students. She is the author of many publications concerning the needs of special populations of gifted students including the award-winning 3rd edition of her seminal work To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled…. Her research and experience in the field of 2e education have earned her much recognition, including the Distinguish Professional Alumni Award from the Neag School of Education and the Alexinia Baldwin Award from the National Association for Gifted Students. Susan’s consulting takes her to exotic and not so exotic places around the world. From Zurich to Zimbabwe to Zagreb; from Colombia to Haiti to Nicaragua; from Prague to Helsinki to Estonia; from Malaysia to Shanghai to Eritrea; and from Ouagadougou to Tegucigalpa to Cochabamba and Puerto Vallarta, you can find her spreading the word about twice exceptional students, talent development, differentiation, and stress management for adolescents. Susan served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Students and is the past president and founder of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students (AEGUS). Susan serves on the advisory boards of 2e Newsletter and Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, and The Quad Preparatory School for Twice Exceptional Learners.

Quirky?  Creative?  Complex?  Celebrating Neurodivergent  Minds

So many bright learners have brains that are wired differently resulting in extraordinary gifts and talents and perplexing challenges at the same time. Their unique kinds of brain wiring require novel approaches to help them become successful. We will explore different kinds of “brain wirings”r and explore ways to capitalize on their unique strengths and innate creative abilities to bring about purposeful growth and development.