On the Trail of Wellness: How Nature Improves our Cognitive, Physical, and Social Well-being

Presented by Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club

The Bruce Trail Talks on conservation and Community Speaker Series presents

Dr. Marc Berman a world leading environmental neuroscientist and author of “Nature and the Mind: the Science of How Nature Improves Cognitive, Physical, and Social Well-being”.

Followed by a Panel Discussion and Q&A with Dr. Marc Bergman and Dr. Jennifer Heisz Director of McMaster's groundbreaking NeuroFit Lab and the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE)';

Dr. Marc Berman is the world’s leading environmental neuroscientist, and founder and director of the Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Chicago. He is the winner of the Association for Psychological Science Early Career Research Award and the American Psychological Association Early Career Award. He is professor and chair of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago as well as codirector of the Masters of Computational Social Science program. His work has been featured on CNN, NPR, and in many popular publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, VICE, Newsweek, National Geographic, and USA TODAY.

Jennifer J. Heisz, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, where she directs the NeuroFit Lab (www.neurofitlab.ca). Her research investigates the mechanisms through which physical activity and other lifestyle interventions influence brain function, cognition, and mental health. Her work focuses on diverse lived experiences, including those of young and older adults, neurodivergent individuals, and people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Heisz received her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from McMaster University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Brain Health at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto. She has been recognized with numerous honors for her contributions to the field, including the Ontario Government’s Early Researcher Award, the Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award, the McMaster University Scholar designation, and a Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and AgingShe serves as Director of the McMaster Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (https://pace.mcmaster.ca) and as Editor-in-Chief of Exercise, Sport, and Movement (, an international, peer-reviewed open-access journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Heisz is also the author of Move the Body, Heal the Mind, a popular science book that synthesizes current research on the cognitive and mental health benefits of exercise. The book has been translated into multiple languages, reaching a broad international readership.

This is a fundraising event for the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC), hosted by the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club. For greater impact, the money raised will be matched through a matching campaign.

The Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club is one of nine member clubs that form the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Thei mission is to preserve a ribbon of wilderness for everyone, forever. Accomplishing this goal means maintaining their land for the safety of wildlife and hikers, a 122 km stretch of trail that runs from Grimsby in the south to the 401.

Visit iroquoia.on.ca/brucetrailtalks for full series information and dates.

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