Professor Elyn Saks Speaks To Students and Faculty

Elyn Saks, a law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law spoke to students and faculty at the University of Wyoming via live video feed on Wednesday, January 29^th.

Professor Saks addressed the group of nearly 100 participants about her experiences living with schizophrenia and her 2007 memoir, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness. After the discussion, Professor Saks answered questions from audience members.

"The presentation and book by Elyn Saks gave all of us new insights into mental illness. Her message was one of hope and activism: hope for people with mental illness that they can live up to their potential with active support from society," says Dr. Anne Sylvester, Wyoming EPSCoR Project Director. "Dr. Saks gave concrete suggestions for how the academic community can recognize and support students, colleagues and peers with mental illness. This is what disability awareness is all about and why Wyoming EPSCoR supports programs that promote disability awareness. Such new awareness would not be possible without hearing the courageous personal story shared by Dr. Saks.

As part of Wyoming EPSCoR’s Disability Awareness Program, EPSCoR aims to increase knowledge, awareness and accommodation of those with disabilities in STEM fields. To improve this awareness, EPSCoR brings scientists and other academics with disabilities to campus to give a public lecture and discuss ways to make programs more accommodating of a wide range of disabilities.  

To learn more about Professor Saks and her experiences living with schizophrenia, be sure to watch her TED talk. For more information about the Wyoming EPSCoR Disability Awareness Program, please visit our website. 

By Robin Rasmussen

Photos by Robin Rasmussen