The Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr. Distinguished Lecture in the History of Psychology

11th Annual Benjamin Lecture

Daniel T. Willingham, PhD

Improving the Use of Psychological Science in K-12 Education

May 15, 2025

Jean Hower Taber Student Union
303 Carroll Street, Akron, OH, 44325
5:00 PM Cash Bar and Hors d'oeuvres
6:00 PM Dinner | 7:00 PM Lecture

The Cummings Center for the History of Psychology is pleased to announce that Daniel T. Willingham, PhD will be our Featured Speaker for the 11th Annual Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr. Distinguished Lecture in the History of Psychology. Willingham is an acclaimed psychologist whose research has focused on the application of cognitive psychology to K-16 education.

The 2025 Benjamin Lecture will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Click the button below to register.

Register Now

To register by mail, please print and complete this form.

Sponsorship

Whether or not you can attend in person, please consider supporting the Benjamin lecture. This gathering is our signature event each year and your support allows us to host leading psychologists from across the country. All funds will support student attendance and help us host future lectures in this series.

To complete your sponsorship online, click the registration button above and select the "Sponsorship Only" option. To complete your sponsorship by mail, please print and complete this form.

Lodging

Traveling from out of town? Discounted rates are available at local hotels. Book your stay at BLU-Tique Akron for $129.00 per night + tax (rate valid May 14 - 16) or at Courtyard Akron Downtown for $129.00 per night + tax (rate valid May 13 - 16). Booking deadline is April 19.

Abstract

How well-informed are American teachers about principles of psychology relevant to classrooms? Relevant data are scarce, but discouraging. In this talk, Dr. Willingham will suggest that the core problem is that teachers are taught this content as though they were future researchers, not future practitioners. Dr. Willingham will discuss changes to teacher preparation that could improve the use of psychology in K-12 education, and boost student achievement.

About the Speaker

Daniel Willingham is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he has taught since 1992. Until about 2000, his research focused solely on the brain basis of learning and memory. Today, all of his research concerns the application of cognitive psychology to K-16 education.

He is the author of several books, including the best-selling Why Don't Students Like School?, and most recently, Outsmart Your Brain. His writing on education has appeared in twenty-three languages.

In 2017 he was appointed by President Obama to serve as a Member of the National Board for Education Sciences.