Every year, VMS invites prominent educational experts from around the country to speak to our VMS and the greater Eagle County community. We are thrilled to announce the 2023 - 2024 Speaker Series.
Dr. Jean Twenge
iGen: Understanding the Smartphone Generation
January 31, 2024
5:30 - 7 PM
Today’s older kids, teens, and young adults are Gen Z, the first generation to spend their adolescence with smartphones. Gen Z is growing up more slowly as adolescents, spending more time online, and spending less time hanging out with their friends in person. They are also spending less time sleeping. Perhaps as a result, they are more likely to experience unhappiness, anxiety, and depression. You’ll walk away from this session with ideas for how to help young people—and everyone—find a better balance with technology and be healthier and happier.
Jean Twenge's Bio:
Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, is the author of more than 180 scientific publications and seven books, including Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future and iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Michael Ungar
The Risk-takers Advantage: How to Build Children's Resilience by Not Overprotecting Them
October 26, 2023
5:30 - 7 pm
Michael Ungar's Bio:
Michael Ungar, Ph.D., is a Family Therapist and Professor of Social Work at Dalhousie University where he holds a prestigious national Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience. A dynamic story-teller, Dr. Ungar’s presentations build on his research on resilience around the world and across cultures. That work has made him the number one ranked scholar in his field, with numerous educational institutions, government agencies, and not-for-profits relying on his work to guide their approaches to nurturing the resilience of children and adults. He is the author of 17 books for parents, educators, mental health professionals, and employers, including his most recent works Change Your World: The Science of Resilience and the True Path to Success, a book for adults experiencing challenges at work and at home, Working with Children and Youth with Complex Needs: 20 Skills to Build Resilience (2nd Edition), a book for mental health professionals, and I Still Love You: Nine Things Troubled Kids Need from their Parents, an accessible guide for parents seeking to build their children’s resilience. Dr. Ungar has received numerous awards for his scholarship and contributions to his community, including the Canadian Association of Social Workers National Distinguished Service Award, and has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His blog, Nurturing Resilience, can be read on Psychology Today’s website.
Speaker Series
