News

Cantigny Park and the League of Women Voters invite the public to their next Civic Awareness Series program on Thursday, October 13 at 7 pm. Terry Wu, Ph.D., will present “Improving Civil Discourse: The Science of Us vs. Them.”

The program is in-person and online. Registration is not required for those attending in person at the Cantigny Park Visitors Center, and parking is free. Online participants should register at Cantigny.org to receive a Zoom link.

Now more than ever, our democracy demands that each of us be willing to listen to others with whom we may not agree. Dr. Wu, a captivating speaker and storyteller, applies a neuroscience-based approach to helping us understand the “us vs. them” dynamic. The division, he says, happens automatically without our conscious awareness, creating aggression and hostility. Dr. Wu will share actionable ideas for bridging the “us vs. them” divide—first steps toward improving civil discourse in our communities and reducing anxiety around traditionally divisive issues.

Dr. Terry Wu is an expert on the neuroscience of human decisions and received his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. Since the advent of COVID-19, he has studied how to apply neuroscience to strengthen leadership. His research focus on why people follow gets to the heart of the “us vs. them” animosity that is so prevalent across America. A frequent speaker at conferences and corporate events, Dr. Wu has a gift for turning complex scientific studies into interesting, easy-to-understand stories that his audiences can relate to and act upon.

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About Cantigny Park
Cantigny Park, part of the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation and located in Wheaton, Illinois, is the 500-acre estate of Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), long-time editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. It is home to the McCormick House, First Division Museum, formal gardens, picnic grounds, walking trails and a Visitors Center with a banquet and meeting facilities, café, gift shop and theater. More information is online at Cantigny.org, including hours, directions, and upcoming events.