International Seminar on Physical Education, Sport and Health (5th ISPESH 2025)

Stella Christie (born January 11, 1979) is an academic, cognitive scientist from Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia who currently serves as Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Harvard University and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in cognitive psychology. He is a professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, where he also holds the position of Research Chair at Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence and Director of Child Cognition Center. In addition, he is also a member of the Governing Board for the Cognitive Science Society and plays an active role as a science and Education Advisor to the Indonesian Government.

As an expert in Cognitive Science and Learning Science, Prof. Stella's research focuses on how humans learn and think. She uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines human, animal and artificial intelligence (AI) studies to answer the fundamental question: “Why are we smart?”. Her work has been published in leading scientific journals such as Current Biology, Cognitive Science, and Scientific Reports. In 2010, she received the award for the most influential publication in the field of Cognitive Development. In 2016, Prof. Stella was also nominated for the James McDonnell Understanding Human Cognition Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of Cognitive Science. Her research findings have been implemented in education systems in Indonesia, the United States, and China, both in the school environment-for example, teaching mathematics through analogy and comparison methods-and outside of school, such as the Child Friendly City program which aims to build cities that support children's brain development.

In recent years, Prof. Stella has received 4.7 million USD in research funding from various institutions, including the Lego Foundation. Prof. Stella is also active in spreading science and knowledge in everyday life. In her science column aimed at the general public, Prof. Stella addresses everyday questions about family life and education, and offers relevant scientific evidence for laypeople. Prof. Stella is also actively involved in applying cognitive science, including artificial intelligence, in education and government in Indonesia. She has been a resource person for various institutions, such as the Indonesian Early Childhood Education Association (2023), Jakarta Education Office (Education in the Age of AI), Ministry of Health (medical AI), and Bank Indonesia (digital revolution).

To fulfill her mission of spreading knowledge to the wider community, Prof. Stella frequently appears in science and education-themed media, reaching more than 500,000 viewers. One of her notable works is the documentary “Secrets of the Brain,” produced by CCTV 9. In January 2024, UNICEF released a short film titled “Championing Her Future” highlighting Prof. Stella's journey as a scientist, aiming to inspire women, especially the younger generation, to pursue a career in science. Prof. Stella speaks multiple languages, including Indonesian, English, Mandarin, Polish and Spanish.

Yu-Kai Chang, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), has been named an International Fellow by the prestigious National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK) in the United States. At 47, Chang is the youngest recipient of this honor in 2024, recognized for his significant contributions to the field of kinesiology.

Founded in 1926, the NAK has honored only 643 scholars worldwide, with 19 new fellows inducted in 2024, including three international fellows. Chang is the fifth Taiwanese scholar to receive this distinction, following Wen-Chung Wu (1976), Min-Chung Tsai (1981), Tsung-Min Hung (2018), and Tung-Wu Lu (2024).

Chang earned his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2008 and joined NTNU in 2018, where he established the Physical Activity and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory. His research focuses on sport and exercise psychology, particularly through cognitive neuroscience approaches to studying exercise and cognitive function, as well as mindfulness in human performance. He has authored more than 270 journal articles and 10 chapters in international textbooks, gaining global recognition.

Recognized among the world’s top 2% of scientists for four consecutive years since 2021, Chang was recently appointed co-editor of the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, becoming the first Taiwanese scholar to hold this position. He also serves on the editorial boards of three international SCI/SSCI journals and is the editor-in-chief of a TSSCI journal in Taiwan.

Chang's work has been cited in U.S. federal health guidelines, played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic, and contributed to large international research projects. His efforts have raised Taiwan’s academic profile through initiatives such as the translation of the PRISMA checklist.

His interdisciplinary approach combines sports science, neuroscience, and Chinese martial arts. His bestselling book, Multimodal Exercise Based on the Bagua, emphasizes the transformative power of physical activity. Through his research, Chang advocates for the promotion of both physical and mental health, demonstrating a commitment to bridging theory and practice and highlighting the significant impact of exercise and sport on human life.