Susan Magsamen

Susan Magsamen is the founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, a pioneering neuroaesthetics initiative from the Brain Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her body of work lies at the intersection of brain sciences and the arts—and how our unique response to aesthetic experiences can amplify human potential. Magsamen is the author of the Impact Thinking model, an evidence-based research approach to accelerate how we use the arts to solve problems in health, well-being, and learning. She is the co-editor of the American Psychological Association’s journal of Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts. In addition to her role at IAM Lab, she also serves as senior advisor to the Science of Learning Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to founding IAM Lab, Magsamen worked in both the private and public sectors, developing social impact programs and products addressing all stages of life—from early childhood to aging adulthood. Magsamen created Curiosityville, an online personalized learning world, acquired by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2014 and Curiosity Kits, a hands-on multi-sensory company, acquired by Torstar in 1995.