Strengths and Vulnerabilities of the Young Adult Brain

Dr. Frances Jensen ’78, acclaimed author of The Teenage Brain, will speak at a Presidential Colloquium on Thursday, March 12 at 5 p.m. in Sage Hall.

Jensen is the Arthur Knight Asbury, MD, Professor of Neurology and Chair of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-director of the Penn Translational Neuroscience Center. An internationally recognized neuroscientist, her research focuses on the mechanisms of epilepsy and its interaction with other neurological conditions, including autism and dementia. She has authored more than 175 scientific publications in these fields.

A recipient of the Smith Medal in 2020, Jensen is also a leading expert in adolescent brain development—its unique strengths and vulnerabilities—and the implications for medical care, education, and social policy affecting teenagers and young adults. Jensen’s New York Times bestselling book The Teenage Brain has been translated into more than 30 languages worldwide.

During her talk, Jensen will share the latest research on the adolescent and young adult brain, exploring how emerging societal forces—including artificial intelligence, the proliferation of social media, cannabis legalization, and the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—are shaping brain development and behavior.

Jensen graduated from Smith in 1978 before attending Cornell Medical College and obtaining her neurology residency training at the Harvard Longwood Neurology Residency Program.

Dr. Jensen’s presentation will be open to the public. It will not be recorded or livestreamed.