Experts from around the world presented pioneering research from diverse fields of learning, education, neuroscience, learning abilities and disabilities as well as intervention programs. Among the international guests were Prof. Malt Joshi from Texas A & M University; Prof. Roland Good of the University of Oregon; Prof. Sharon Vaughn of the University of Texas; Prof. Ron Tzur from the University of Colorado; Prof. Linda Siegel from the University of British Columbia; Prof. Esther Geva of the University of Toronto; Prof. Andrea Facoetti, of the University of Padua; Prof. Yulia Kovas, of Goldsmith University of London and Tomsk State University (Russia); Prof. Norbert Jausovec, of the University of Maribor, Slovenia; Genevieve Albouy of Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven (Belgium) and Prof. Julien Doyon of the Unversite de Montreal.
Symposiums examined Bilingualism; Reading, Literacy and Orthography; Mathematics; Attention and Higher Cognitive Functions; and Motor Learning. There were poster presentations by Masters and Doctoral students from various departments of the University of Haifa and other universities in Israel.
Prof. Michal Yerushalmy, Vice President and Dean of Research, University of Haifa, Prof. Roza Leikin, Head of the Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Prof. Asaid Khateb and Prof. Malt Joshi opened the first session with words in remembrance of the late Prof. Zvia Breznitz, the founding head of the Center. Despite being unable to attend, Prof. Lily Orland Barack, Dean of the Faculty of Education, sent her greetings and wishes for a productive interchange between the national and international participants. She saw the conference as indicating a "development of a unified scientific paradigm and language that aim to bridge different disciplines and conceptual foci."
Prof. Roza Leikin expressed special thanks to the Edmond J. Safra Foundation whose continuing support and encouragement has enabled the Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, at the University of Haifa, to grow and become one of the leading research centers in the world. She added: We are committed to continuing the development and advancement of the Center, building on the extraordinary accomplishments of the late Prof. Zvia Breznitz, the Center's founder, whose vision and leadership paved the way for the Center's achievements in scientific research.
Participants and audience both felt that the conference was a great exchange of information, a very successful learning experience for all and a stage for rewarding personal interaction among leaders in different fields of scientific and educational research. The innovative and engaging talks at this conference were a fitting tribute to Zvia's memory.
More information about the conference can be found at: http://cnal.edu.haifa.ac.il/
