Opening Keynote Presentation

Arts at the Center (Full Paper)

Robert & Michele Root-Bernstein (USA)

Robert Root-Bernstein received his AB (Biochemistry) and PH.D. (History of Science) from Princeton University. He did post-doctoral work at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he was awarded one of the first MacArthur Fellowships. A Professor in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University since 1987, Bob studies the evolution of physiological control systems and autoimmune diseases, as well as science-arts interactions.

Michele Root-Bernstein received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975 and a Ph.D. in History from Princeton University in 1981. She has taught history, creative writing and imaginative thinking from grade school to college. She is a “Kennedy Center Teaching Artist” and Adjunct Faculty at Michigan State University. Currently, she is at work on the role of imaginary play in creative giftedness.

Together, Bob and Michele are co-authors of Sparks of Genius, The 13 Thinking Tools of the World’s Most Creative People (Houghton Mifflin, 1999) and numerous articles on imaginative thinking, polymathy and trans-disciplinary education.