Camilla Benbow

A Talent for Fostering the Talents of Others

Dean of Peabody since 1998, Camilla P. Benbow has become increasingly influential in national educational circles. In 2006, she was appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings as vice chair of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. President Bush subsequently nominated her to serve on the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation. That nomination was approved by Congress.

Benbow's scholarly work has focused on gifted children and the development of mathematical talent. With growing national concern about America's competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Benbow's own talents seem particularly called for.

"If we are going to remain competitive," she says, "we must do a better job of engaging and educating K-12 students. We cannot afford to wait until they get to college."

The National Math Panel is expected to recommend effective strategies for teaching math from PreK-8th grade, emphasizing the basic concepts children need to understand before progressing to algebra.

Benbow also brings a talent development model to her leadership as dean. "Several years ago, we reengineered our graduate programs to put the focus on the experiences students need to have to be successful in the marketplace. The end result is not just a diploma but a great CV," she says. "Our programs emphasize real-world experiences for undergraduates, too, from education to human and organizational development."

Camilla Benbow

• Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development
• Research Focus: developmental psychology, creativity and eminence, giftedness
• Constantly Surprised by: the impact Peabody graduates have on the world at large