About the Speaker:

Phil Zelazo (PhD, Yale 1993) is the Nancy M. and John E. Lindahl Professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. He previously taught at the University of Toronto, where he held the Canada Research Chair in Developmental Neuroscience. Zelazo’s research has helped shape current understanding of executive function (EF) and its development, including the key roles of reflection, rule use, hierarchical complexity, mindfulness, and emotion (hot versus cool EF). He was lead developer of the EF measures for the NIH Toolbox, is currently the lead developer of the “Cognition and Executive Function” measures for the NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox, and has designed effective interventions for promoting the healthy development of EF in childhood. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Psychological Science (APS), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Mind and Life Institute, and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Boyd McCandless Young Scientist Award (APA, 1996), a Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award, and the APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Developmental Psychology (2025).  



He was Founding Editor of the Journal of Cognition and Development, he is Associate Editor of American Psychologist, he serves on several editorial boards (e.g., Development and Psychopathology), he was lead editor of the Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness (Zelazo, Moscovitch, &Thompson, 2007), and editor of the two-volume Oxford Handbook of Developmental Psychology (2013). His work has been cited over 50,000 times by other scholars. 

About the talk: 

Executive function (EF) refers to the skills needed for the conscious control of thought, action, and emotion; skills that include cognitive flexibility, working memory, inhibitory control, and the deliberate reversal of strong motivational tendencies (hot EF). These skills, which develop rapidly during early childhood, support school readiness and socioemotional competence, and more generally, they serve as a foundation for learning and adaptation across a wide range of situations. It turns out it’s not so much what you know that matters, but whether you have the EF skills to put what you know into practice. This talk will review what is known about EF and its development in childhood, discuss how to measure EF objectively, and describe effective ways for parents, teachers, and others to support the healthy development of EF. An argument will be made that early support for the acquisition of EF skills in school settings will facilitate children’s learning and development, and level the playing field so all children can succeed in school and beyond. 

This presentation is relevant to educators, psychologists, others who work with children offering content at an intermediate level. Philip David Zelazo is a Co-founder of, and holds equity in, Reflection Sciences, Inc., which has licensed the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS) from the University of Minnesota. These interests have been reviewed and managed by the University of Minnesota. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Define and discuss executive function (EF) skills and their development in childhood  

2. Describe how EF skills are measured in early childhood  

3. Identify ways to promote the healthy development of EF skills, such as encouraging students to pause and reflect, providing them with manageable challenges, and allowing them to practice using EF skills across a range of contexts (to facilitate the "far transfer" of these skills to new challenges).

Continuing Education:

One hour of CE credit is available for attendees who are present for the entire program. We ask that all participants complete the given evaluation form at the conclusion of the program.

The Center for Children and Families at FIU is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Children and Families at FIU maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

This free in-person talk has also been approved for up to 1 CEU credit by Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling; and 1 CE credit by Florida Board of Psychology and Florida Office of School Psychology.  

Provider # BAP 50-12872.