Plasticity Means Possibility: Developing Policy for Developing Brains

Host Adriana Galván talks with Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr., who represents Louisiana's second Congressional district, about the importance of meaningful mentorship and giving young people hands-on opportunities to build the skills they need to make connections in life and work. Representative Carter co-chairs the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus, which advocates for federal policies that support young people aged 16 to 24 who are disconnected from school and work and are seeking opportunities to exit poverty and pursue career pathways.

Host Adriana Galván talks with Sarah Keating, Vice President of Girl Experience and Program Delivery at Girl Scouts of the USA, about how youth-focused programs like Girl Scouts help youth build agency and relational skills by supporting collaboration, decision-making, learning through doing, and making and learning from mistakes along the way.

Host Adriana Galván talks with Sixto Cancel, Founder and CEO of Think of Us, which works to transform the child welfare system to promote well-being of children and their families, about what helped him build relational skills as an adolescent after his experiences in the foster care system, and about how policies and programs can help set up today's young people for a thriving adulthood.

To have real impact on the lives and futures of young people, science shouldn't stay in the lab. Join neuroscientist Adriana Galván as she talks with policymakers, advocates, and field leaders about the science of adolescent brain development, the policies and practices that support young people, and how the two can intersect. Plasticity means Possibility: Developing Policy for Developing Brains focuses on one topic per season and explores different perspectives in each episode. It's thoughtful science for real-life impact on our youth.