Dean Braden Adds ‘Storyteller’ to His Vitae

A college dean wears many hats. Jeff Braden, dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, spends considerable time meeting with university and college administrators, with alumni, and with faculty, staff and students. His days are full of budgets and planning and strategizing. Braden also maintains his own areas of research as an internationally respected school psychologist with particular expertise in how school systems can best assess students with special needs.

But recently, the dean added a new hat to his collection: the storyteller cap. Braden was one of five storytellers chosen from a pool of contestants to participate in The Story Collider, a national storytelling show that brings together scientists and nonscientists to share stories about science and life. The Story Collider partnered with NC State’s Leadership in Public Science program for the community event in Kinston, North Carolina.

Here’s the dean, telling his story, “What Teaching Sign Language to Chimpanzees Taught Me about Randomness and Kindness in Shaping Scientific Careers.”