Michael Kern ’06 to Deliver Lecture on Trends in Education and Psychology The Feb. 3 lecture on W&L’s campus is free and open to the public.

By Emily Innes
January 22, 2025

Michael Kern ’06, the Lambert Family Chair in Counseling and the Director of Student Support Services at Interlochen Center for the Arts, will deliver a lecture titled “Back to Basics: How Fundamental Research Explains Trends in Education and Psychology” at Washington and Lee University on Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. on campus in Science Addition Room 214.

Kern’s lecture is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science and the University Lectures program.

In his lecture, Kern will explore how foundational concepts in cognitive psychology can help us understand and critically evaluate current trends in education and therapy. By examining theories like “depth of processing” and “limited-capacity processing,” Kern will uncover the timeless principles driving innovations in areas such as reading, memory and learning.

After graduating from W&L with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Kern taught fourth- and fifth-grade science and technical theater in New Orleans. He received his Ph.D. in school psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University; his graduate research focused on memory, note-taking and study skills, with a particular interest in translating research on learning and emotional development into meaningful strategies that help students become independent learners. Kern’s expertise is in working with students, families and teachers to evaluate and provide school-based support for students with a variety of learning and socioemotional needs.