STEM Speaker Series: Choke: The Science behind Academic Stress and STEM Performance

Presented by Sian Beilock, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of Chicago

Poor test scores can affect your grade, put scholarships in jeopardy, and have a negative impact on your educational opportunities. But test-taking pressure can undermine your efforts to do well. Explore the science behind the choke. Why do some students thrive, while others fail in high-stakes situations? How can you overcome test anxiety and improve your own performance in STEM?

Dr. Beilock is one of the world's leading experts on the brain science behind "choking under pressure" and the many factors influencing all types of performance from test-taking to public speaking to your golf swing. Dr. Beilock authored the book Choke: What the secrets of the brain reveal about getting it right when you have to.

Sponsored by the Center for Promoting STEM and the Oakton Student Government Association.

UPDATE:
For those of you who missed Dr. Beilock's presentation, you can hear her speak on NPR Chicago WBEZ 91.5 at: Why we choke when the pressure's on (Nov. 4, 2012).

Chicago's WLS ABC7 News recently aired a short segment on her research:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8893055&pid=8892952

WBEZ also interviewed her on November 6, 2012 (about half way down the page):
http://www.wbez.org/programs/afternoon-shift/2012-11-07/afternoon-shift-184-tasty-treats-103729

Dr. Beilock will be speaking at the first symposium of the Spring 2013 Chicago Symposium Series on Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science: Research and Practice on February 1, 2013 at the University of Illinois at Chicago. For more information and to register: www.math.uic.edu/chicagosymposium/.

You may also request to borrow the video recording of Dr. Beilock's talk from Gloria Liu, glorial@oakton.edu.

Dr. Beilock mentioned a research she did on the effects of math anxiety in elementary school teachers on girls' math achievement. The article is available at The Council on Advanced Studies at University of Chicago: "Female Teachers’ Math Anxiety Impacts Girls’ Math Achievement."