This talk is divided into segments that pertain to particular stages of Karen’s research life. While taking us through the early years of functional magnetic resonance imaging, molecular genetics, and National longitudinal studies, she attempts to answer some of the big questions in the area of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Are dyslexia and ADHD real? How do children with dyslexia turn out years later? Do behavioural problems persist? Is there a migraine personality? How do genes and environments interact? What is neuroplasticity? Does learning a second language change the brain?

Karen’s research focuses on the neural, environmental and genetic bases of neurodevelopmental disorders, problem behaviour and depression.

Karen was born in BC, Canada, and received her BSc at the University of Victoria. She received her MSc and PhD at the University of Calgary where she met her Kiwi husband. They moved to NZ and Karen worked with the world famous Dunedin Study before joining the University of Auckland School of Psychology and the Centre for Brain Research. She was at the forefront of emerging neuroimaging techniques in Australasia in the early 2000s, and combines these with neuropsychological testing to better understand language, dyslexia, ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

Karen also became involved in two local longitudinal studies: the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative and Growing Up in New Zealand. Karen is now passionate about how the intrauterine environment affects development and how genes interact with events to influence child outcomes.

Refreshments will be served in the Psychology reception foyer on level 2 in Building 302 (302-248) from 5:00pm, prior to the lecture.