Neuroscientist and Musician Daniel Levitin to Speak at Nova Southeastern University

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla.- Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU)  Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences will welcome neuroscientist and musician Daniel Levitin, Ph.D., to campus on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on NSU’s main campus in Davie.

Levitin will speak on “Leadership and Value in the Age of Information Overload: New Findings from Neuroscience” as part of the college’s 2014–2015 Distinguished Speakers Series.

In an age of information overload, what does modern neuroscience reveal about how and why some leaders thrive? It’s easy to become overwhelmed by a constant flow of data and details, the rapid pace of change, and the challenges of multitasking and managing complex organizations. So how can people better organize their lives and improve decision making, productivity and efficiency?

During this talk, Levitin will discuss how others can learn from successful people who have become masters at managing workflow, channeling their attention, accomplishing tasks, and maximizing their time. He will share methods that can be used to better organize and navigate complexity, yielding better results at work, and ultimately, a more satisfying life.

Levitin is a best-selling author, award-winning musician, and professor of psychology and behavioral neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He draws from cutting-edge brain research, cognitive psychology and experience as a consultant for global organizations to explain how leaders become more effective by taking charge of attention and memory systems and using the brain’s natural adaptability. He serves as director of the Laboratory for Music Cognition, Perception, and Expertise at McGill University, and dean of arts and humanities at the Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences.

The recipient of 14 gold and platinum records, Levitin first found success as a musician, record producer and label executive. He has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Rosanne Cash and David Byrne; consulted on albums by Stevie Wonder and Steely Dan and the films Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting. He also served as vice president and president of 415/Columbia Records.

Levitin is the author of three best-selling books, including “The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload,” which is the selection for the college’s Honors Reading Seminar offered in winter 2015. His other works include “The World in Six Songs” and “This Is Your Brain on Music,” which details the psychological and scientific impacts of music––from its composition and performance to why people enjoy it. The book was on The New York Times best seller list for 16 months and inspired two award-winning documentaries starring Levitin, Bobby McFerrin and Sting.

Helping to achieve the college’s mission to prepare students for rich professional careers and active citizenship, the college frames co-curricular programs and experiences around a broad annual theme that unites our community in interdisciplinary exploration.  The theme for this academic year is “Identity.”

Ticket Information

This Distinguished Speakers Series event is free to attend, but tickets are required.  Tickets are distributed first to NSU students, faculty and staff, but become available to the general public on Monday, Feb. 9.

For more information, call (954) 262-8236.

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About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels.  NSU is an independent, not-for-profit institution with approximately 26,000 students at campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach and Tampa, Florida as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu. Celebrating 50 years of academic excellence!

Media Contact: 
Julie Spechler | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5348 (office)
954-591-3361 (cell)
julies@nova.edu