Serving the Needs of Gifted Learners Around the Globe: An Interview With Julia Link Roberts

Julia Link Roberts is the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University (WKU) and the executive director of The Center for Gifted Studies and The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. Dr. Roberts is the president of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children; current past-president of The Association for the Gifted, a division of the Council for Exceptional Children; chair of the Kentucky Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Children; and board member of the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education. She has been honored as a Distinguished Professor at WKU and has received the Palmarium Award, the National Association for Gifted Children Service Award, and the Acorn Award as the outstanding professor at a Kentucky 4-year university. Her most recent publication is "Introduction to Gifted Education", for which she was co-editor. Dr. Roberts writes and presents on advocacy, differentiation, curriculum, assessment, and various topics in gifted education. She directs programming for children, young people, and educators in the summer and throughout the school year and accompanies students on international travel. She teaches graduate courses leading to the MAE and EdS in Gifted Education and Talent Development. In this interview with Suzanna Henshon, among the topics Dr Roberts discusses are what led her to the field of gifted education, what advice she has for teachers who want to do a more effective job when it comes to differentiating instruction, working effectively with students from differing backgrounds, and her experiences in leadership roles in the field of gifted education.