Despite the enduring myth of the lone genius, innovation does not take place in isolation. Truly productive invention requires the meeting of minds from myriad perspectives, even if the innovators themselves don't always realize it. Keith Sawyer, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, calls this "group genius," and in his book of the same name he introduces a scientific method called interaction analysis to the study of creativity.

References:

1. Dec. 7, 2008 — For Innovators, There Is Brainpower in Numbers in the The New York Times

and 11 others.

Article includes research from WUSTL psychologist Richard deCharms that shows lowering pressure on kids and fostering the enjoyment of learning leads to more educational success.

References:

1. Sept. 5, 2008 — Commentary: Pay to learn shortchanges kids in the Los Angeles Times

Conventional wisdom has it that breakthrough ideas come only from the minds of geniuses. Edison, Tolkien, Darwin -- history's biggest brains are responsible for its biggest innovations. Many companies are organized with this idea in mind.
But creativity isn't a solitary affair -- and it's not the exclusive domain of the brilliant and gifted. In fact, research shows that people working in groups are far more innovative than previously thought.
WUSTL education and psychology professor Keith Sawyer offers advice on what businesses can do to take advantage of their employees' creativity.

References:

1. June 10, 2007 — No Ideas? You're Not Alone in the U.S. News & World Report

WUSTL education professor William Tate, who is president-elect of the American Educational Research Association, is one of the experts commenting on the quality of education research in a politically charged climate.

References:

1. April 11, 2007 — Education science in search of answers in the USA Today

What is creativity? Where does it come from? The workings of the creative mind have been subjected to intense scrutiny over the past 25 years by an army of researchers in psychology, sociology, anthropology and neuroscience. But no one has a better overview of this mysterious mental process than WUSTL psychologist and education professor R. Keith Sawyer, author of the new book Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation.
In a Time interview, Sawyer shares some of his findings and suggests ways in which we can enhance our creativity not just in art, science or business but in everyday life.

References:

1. Jan. 16, 2006 — The hidden secrets of the creative mind in the Time Magazine

Article on the growing use of incentive programs to boost test scores, GPAs, and student attendance in high schools. WUSTL education professor Garrett Duncan comments.

References:

1. July 29, 2005 — How to keep those kids in class? Pay them. in the Christian Science Monitor

As the nation's Halloween revelers head into this weekend of festivities, they can expect to see lots of pimps, or at least people pretending to be pimps. WUSTL education professor Garrett Duncan suggests the fascination with pimps among whites is a continuation of a history of appropriating various aspects of African-American culture by the larger society.

References:

1. Oct. 29, 2004 — Pimp costumes, popular for Halloween, remain controversial in the Biloxi Sun Herald (MS)
2. Oct. 23, 2004 — Culture takes shot at altering meaning of �pimp� in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

and 15 others.