Scientist of the Month: September 2025
Featuring Professor Paul A. Howard-Jones
School of Education, University of Bristol (UK)

Interview by Kelly Shiohira, Director of GSoLEN

In this month’s Scientist of the Month feature, GSoLEN Director Kelly Shiohira interviews Professor Paul Howard-Jones. Together, they explore how understanding the brain’s learning processes can transform teaching and inspire students to engage with the world’s most complex challenges—from fostering creativity to addressing climate change.

Drawing on his wide-ranging background in engineering, psychology, and medical physics, Dr. Howard-Jones shares insights from two decades of research connecting classroom practice with cognitive science. He discusses his groundbreaking work on learning through games, the science of creativity, and how psychology and neuroscience can help us design more effective approaches to sustainability education.

The conversation also delves into the “long road” of knowledge brokering—the process of translating research into classroom practice—and the partnerships required to make that journey successful.

Watch this interview to learn how neuroscience can reimagine education’s role in preparing learners to think critically, act creatively, and tackle global challenges.