On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the Talcott Mountain Research Institute (TMRI) welcomed a sold-out audience to Talcott Mountain for an evening with acclaimed scientist Dr. Keivan G. Stassun, the featured Lecturer in the “On the Shoulders of Giants” (OSG) Lecture Series.
A 2024 MacArthur Fellow and 2025 recipient of the National Medal of Science, Dr. Stassun presented “Wired for Wonder: Neurodiversity and the Future of Scientific Discovery,” exploring how neurodiversity and different ways of thinking can help drive scientific discovery and innovation.
Drawing on real-word examples in astrophysics, Dr. Stassun shared how cognitively diverse teams and different modes of thinking are driving groundbreaking discoveries in the search for habitable worlds and life in the Universe. He also discussed a national model for neuro-inclusion in engineering in partnership with a growing network of leading universities across the country.
“Wonder is one of our most powerful engines of discovery. I hope attendees left inspired by the idea that differences in how we think and perceive the world are not obstacles to innovation, but often the very source of it,” said Dr. Stassun. “For students especially, these OSG Lectures help demystify science by connecting great ideas to the people behind them. They show that discovery is not reserved for a select few; it begins with curiosity, and there is a place in that journey for everyone.”
Hosted by the Talcott Mountain Research Institute, the OSG Lecture Series invites the intellectually curious public into thoughtful conversations with Dr. Stassun is the Stevenson Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, where he also holds an appointment in computer science and serves as Founding Director of the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation in Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering. His research on stars and exoplanets has appeared in more than 600 peer-reviewed journal articles, with an emphasis on understanding the fundamental physical properties of stars and exoplanets. In January, Dr. Stassun assumes a new role at the University of Georgia as the inaugural Ashvin B. Chhabra Distinguished Professor and new head of the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Hosted by TMRI, the OSG Lecture Series invites the intellectually curious public into conversations with leading STEM scholars and creative thinkers whose work shapes our understanding of the natural world, exploring both scientific discovery and the curiosity that drives it forward.
“Keivan is exactly the kind of person I imagine bringing to Talcott Mountain through On the Shoulders of Giants,” remarks Dr. Jay White, Founding Director of TMRI and host of the OSG Lecture Series. “He is a remarkable scientist whose curiosity extends beyond his astrophysics to the people and different kinds of minds that make discovery happen. I hope people left his OSG Lecture thinking not only about science discoveries but about the people who make them—how different ways of seeing nature can move an idea forward for all of us.”
Talcott extends its gratitude to Dr. Stassun for sharing his expertise and perspective with the Talcott community and to everyone who joined us for the evening.
Learn more about upcoming OSG Lectures and future events: https://talcottscience.org/osg-lectures/
