Experts

Sam Wang

Neuroscientist, Princeton University

Two things that are intuitively obvious to most parents – the importance of teaching children self-discipline and the educational power of fun – are also unusually well-supported by science. Read More

Studies in neuroscience over the last few decades have confirmed an idea originally suggested by philosophers and psychologists: how much the brain can change in response to our experiences. Read More

Passive acts, like listening to Mozart, will not make your child smarter. On the other hand, active engagement--learning to play an instrument or processing words--improves mental functioning. For instance, there is a positive relationship between the number of words a child hears every day and IQ scores. Read More

Passive acts, like listening to Mozart, will not make your child smarter. On the other hand, active engagement--learning to play an instrument or processing words--improves mental functioning. For instance, there is a positive relationship between the number of words a child hears every day and IQ ... Read More

Sam Wang says Google is a trade-off between rapid knowledge and knowledge retention. Read More

Neuroscientist Sam Wang on the nexus between genetics and development. Read More

Sam Wang says a mentally engaged lifestyle is the best training for the brain. Read More

Sam Wang explores the state of autism prevention and therapy. Read More

Sam Wang on Happiness and the Brain. Read More

Sam Wang on How to Change Your Brain. Read More

Sam Wang debates genius vs. hard work. Read More

Sam Wang discusses his book, ‘Welcome to Your Brain.’ Read More

A conversation with professor and neuroscientist. Read More

About Sam Wang

Sam Wang

Sam Wang is an associate professor, Department of Molecular Biology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. 

Wang grew up in California and studied physics at the California Institute of Technology. Seeking his Ph.D. at Stanford University, he switched to neuroscience. He has worked at Duke University as a postdoctoral fellow and aided political leaders as a Congressional Science Fellow. After completing his postdoctoral studies, he spent two years at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, N.J., where he learned to use pulsed lasers to study brain signaling before coming to Princeton.

Wang, who has published more than 40 articles on the brain in leading scientific journals. His educational reach extends past the laboratory and classroom in his books, popular articles and efforts to convey neuroscience to interested nonscientists.

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