Discovery alone does not change the world. Design does.

For years, cognitive neuroscience has produced insights into how the brain learns. Yet the gap between discovery and implementation remains wide. Bridging that gap has been a central focus of my work.

The question is no longer simply: how does the brain read?

The question is: how do we design systems that reflect that knowledge?

This requires moving beyond isolated interventions toward scalable solutions—tools, assessments, and frameworks that can be integrated into educational systems at scale.

One example is the development of early screening methods grounded in neural data. These tools can identify risk for reading difficulties before they manifest behaviorally, enabling earlier and more targeted support.

But scaling such solutions requires more than science. It requires collaboration across educators, policymakers, and technologists.

The Troland Research Award is a recognition not just of discovery, but of translation—the process of turning knowledge into systems that can improve lives at scale.