Successful inventors think outside the box. Inquisitive students think outside the textbook. Learn how scientists think outside the beaker at the Cornell Leadership Program's inaugural "Creativity Examined: an Inquiry Into the Basis of Innovation and a Strategy for Its Promotion" active learning session, July 30, 10 a.m. to noon, in Room 120 of Cornell's Physical Sciences Building.

The program is free and open to members of the Cornell community. As space is limited, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

John Parker, director of the Leadership Program at Cornell, will provide introductory remarks that underscore the relationship between creativity and discovery. Moderated by award-winning Cornell researcher Richard Cerione, the program will investigate innovation in music, literature and the life sciences as well as explore strategies for promoting creativity in people who embark on discovery-based careers. The program will include a panel discussion and small-group interactions, giving participants multiple opportunities to engage with panel members. They are:

"The scientific process requires experimental validation of hypotheses," said Parker. "However, it is the step that comes before, the formulation of hypotheses, where scientists express their creativity by reimagining or reinterpreting the world around us. The great leaps in scientific progress have come from highly original and some might say visionary thinking. It is an interesting question: Is creative ability an inherent skill and thus not teachable or can we help people be more creative? This workshop will explore these ideas and others. If creativity can be taught or enhanced by particular habits, it should be our goal to ensure that talented students such as those participating in Cornell's Summer Leadership Program learn those habits."