Bruce Wexler, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry and senior research scientist at Yale School of Medicine, was honored August 5 with the Invisible Disabilities Association’s (IDA) 2016 Innovation Award.
Wexler was recognized for his work at Yale and at C8 Sciences, the company he founded, in creating an evidence-based cognitive skills training program called ACTIVATE that improves focus, self-control, and memory in elementary school students with and without attention-related disorders.
The award was presented at the IDA’s 2016 Brain IDEAS Symposium in Colorado. It is given to thought leaders who pioneer research, make scientific discoveries, and apply new technologies to help people with brain disorders.
ACTIVATE helps students with and without attention-related disorders to improve core cognitive functions.
The Innovation Award is a welcome reminder that innovative research and technology can make measurable improvements in the education of a diverse range of students.
Bruce Wexler, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry and senior research scientist at Yale School of Medicine
“The development of ACTIVATE has put advanced research on brain plasticity into practice by placing the power of effective brain exercise in the hands of health care professionals, educators and parents,” Wexler said in a statement. “The Innovation Award is a welcome reminder that innovative research and technology can make measurable improvements in the education of a diverse range of students.”
Wexler has spent 35 years leading innovation in computer-presented brain exercises to treat cognitive deficits in people with psychiatric illnesses. His research came to fruition with the development of ACTIVATE, which combines computer and physical exercises to develop and strengthen brain systems.