The Child Emotion Research Lab is committed to providing education and service to the community. Our staff visit local schools to give presentations on the brain and demonstrate 'real-life' science experiments to children. We tailor each visit to the grade levels involved and provide children with concrete, hands-on experience involving behavioral research. We always try to coordinate our demonstrations to any curriculum that the students may already be taking.


Alison Wismer Fries (Graduate Student) gives a presentation to fourth graders who had recently participated in a study

A visit to our lab often includes demonstrations of brain wave recordings and demonstrations of interesting computer software and graphics.

Dr. Pollak regularly speaks at community events, schools, professional, and public interest organizations. He is particularly interested in helping to educate members of our community about how to understand the proliferation of popular news reports on brain plasticity and child development. And especially on the developmental effects of child abuse.


Dr. Pollak delivers an in-service training program on treatments for disruptive behavioral disorders in children to staff at the Dane County Department of Human Services, Division of Children, Youth, and Families."

Recent presentations have included groups such as the Wisconsin Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services, state legislators and administrators of public health service programs involving child welfare, community-based conferences including the Wisconsin Prevention Network, Wisconsin Department of Child and Family Services, and the Wisconsin Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect.

In-services and lectures are provided for local parent groups, teachers, and day care centers without charge.


Mitchell (age 8): The Testing Computer


A local Cub Scout Troop visits our lab.

Kids! Learn more about your brain