Keynote

Keynote: Mindsets that Matter

13 March 2025

How do people think about and act on complex issues and ideas? What inclines us to productively engage with pressing demands and problems in our contemporary world? The way we think about and respond to issues and ideas is often the consequence of the thinking frames or mindsets we use to look at and understand them. These thinking frames or mindsets develop from our beliefs, values, attitudes, and philosophy about the world, and often operate invisibly in our interactions and behaviors. How might we develop the mindsets that incline us toward more expansive and nuanced understanding of issues and ideas, and more agentic engagement with opportunities and challenges across multiple contexts? This keynote presentation explores how mindsets develop and operate in the contexts of leading, teaching and learning, and offers a set of ideas for understanding and supporting the mindsets that matter for today’s dynamic world.

Flossie Chua

Principal Investigator
Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Flossie Chua is a Principal Investigator at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research focuses on how people understand and engage with complex ideas, aiming to develop better thinkers and engaged learners who connect their learning to individual and social needs. She explores how transformative artistic practices can help individuals and communities find purpose during uncertain times, and how sophisticated thinking can foster productive community engagement. Dr. Chua also works on developing global competence, empowering youth creativity, and integrating visual art into civic life. She collaborates with educators and musicians to broaden their impact in communities. Dr. Chua holds an Ed.D. from Harvard University and teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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