The Therapeutic Potential of Perceptual Silence

On September 19, 2025, University of Minnesota hosted IEEE WIE Leadership Summit for women students, researchers, educators, engineers and leaders, innovators active in the field of emerging technologies. Emma Orfield Johnston serves on the executive staff of Orfield Laboratories, Inc., the nation’s only independent, multi-sensory design research and consulting firm, internationally recognized as “The Quietest Place on Earth.” Building on the laboratory’s fifty-year history of perceptual research and design consulting, she is leading the development of Orfield Therapeutics, a program centered on silence as a multi-sensory condition. Her current work examines the application of acoustical silence and darkness within the Orfield Anechoic Chamber to cognitive and perceptual disabilities — including autism, dementia, anxiety, PTSD, and sensory-processing disorders — and their potential contributions to therapeutic efficacy, cognitive balance, and psychological well-being.

Speaker: Emma Orfield Johnston
Seminar Title: The Therapeutic Potential of Perceptual Silence

The IEEE WIE Leadership Summit seeks to provide a forum to women students, researchers, educators, engineers and leaders, innovators to discuss innovation, empowerment, entrepreneurship, leadership skills, and emerging/disruptive technology. Speakers will share real-life experiences, lessons learned and future outlook. This summit provides a platform to identify opportunities for improvement, ways to tackle challenges, and networking.