Susan Engel
Senior Lecturer and Senior Faculty Fellow in Psychology at Williams College known for decades of research on children's curiosity, invention, and intellectual development, and author of books including The Hungry Mind and The Intellectual Lives of Children.
Top 3 podcasts with Susan Engel
Ranked by the Snipd community
19 snips
Nov 21, 2025 • 49min
164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Susan Engel, a renowned psychologist from Williams College, dives into her extensive research on children's curiosity and intellectual development. She explores how curiosity evolves throughout life and the surprising decline many experience as they age. Dr. Engel highlights the link between curiosity and invention in children's play, as well as the critical role of autonomy in fostering curiosity. With insights into educational structures, she questions how environments shape our innate urge to know, making for a thought-provoking listen.
Jan 7, 2020 • 28min
Ep. #103: Why Should This Be So? with Susan Engel
Susan Engel, professor of psychology at Williams College, discusses the ebb and flow of curiosity in our lives. Exploring childhood curiosity, nurturing curiosity in education, the power of questioning, and the need for a change in the education system to foster developmental curiosity.
Jan 8, 2026 • 46min
#210 The Curious Case of Kindergarten
Susan Engel, a research psychologist and professor at Williams College, dives deep into the world of kindergarten, drawn from her observations across 29 classrooms nationwide. She reveals how kindergarten acts as a developmental turning point, shaping children's identities and social skills. Engel shares fascinating insights on balancing play with academic rigor and critiques the current overemphasis on phonics that may hinder a love for reading. She highlights effective teaching that prioritizes intellectual curiosity, urging a reevaluation of how we nurture young learners.
