Friday, May 1
8-9:30 a.m.
National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building
Join neuroscientist and author Amishi Jha in conversation with retired Lieutenant General Walt Piatt for an engaging fireside chat inspired by Jha’s groundbreaking book, “Peak Mind”.
Drawing on her pioneering research in attention and mindfulness, Jha will explore how we can reclaim our focus in an age of constant distraction—and why it matters more than ever for performance, well-being and resilience.
General Piatt brings a unique perspective, reflecting on how attention training shaped decision-making and leadership under the most demanding conditions imaginable. Together, they’ll unpack what it means to build a “peak mind”—not just for elite performers, but for all of us navigating stress, overload and uncertainty in our daily lives.
This conversation is an invitation to understand your own attention, learn practical strategies to strengthen it, and discover how a few minutes a day can meaningfully change how you think, lead and thrive.
The chat will be facilitated by Alex Dietrich, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer.
About Amishi Jha, PhD
Amishi Jha, PhD is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. Prior to her current role, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. She earned her PhD in Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) from UC–Davis and completed postdoctoral training in brain imaging at Duke University. With support from the Department of Defense and private foundations, Dr. Jha investigates the neural mechanisms of attention and how attention can be protected and strengthened with mindfulness training.
Her research focuses on high-stress, high-demand professionals—including military service members, first responders, medical and business professionals and leaders, and elite athletes—where cognitive resilience and peak performance are critical. She led the first-ever study to offer mindfulness training to active-duty U.S. military personnel preparing for deployment—showing that while attention is vulnerable under stress, it can be strengthened through mindfulness training.
Her work has been featured by TED, NATO, the Pentagon, the World Economic Forum, The New York Times, TIME, NPR and more. She is the author of the national bestseller Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day and creator of the Pushups for the Mind app. Learn more at Amishi.com.