Schedule

Public Lecture

David Eagleman (Class of 1993) is a neuroscientist, author and science communicator. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and a New York Times Best selling author of a number of popular science books about the brain, as well as the writer and presenter of The Brain with David Eagleman and the host of the podcast Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman.

Breakfast/Welcome from President and Provost

Topic #1: Solving the aging brain? Approaching the DPRIT challenge

The first topic takes a dive deeper into understanding and treating the brain diseases associated with aging, particularly dementia. How can we develop equitable, scalable approaches to reducing the looming economic and societal consequences of these disorders?

Chloe Sarnowski, Epidemiology, UT Health
Tatiana Barichello, Psychiatry, UT Health
Audrey Duarte, Psychology, UT Austin
Lauren Nicholas, Geriatrics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Nancy Berlinger, Hastings Center
Alice Luo Clayton, Executive Director, McKnight Brain Research Foundation

Moderator: Rosa Uribe, Co-Director Neuroscience Initiative, Rice Brain Institute

Lunch + Provocation Talk #1: Neuroscience needs the Arts

Memo Akten is a multi-disciplinary artist, researcher, and computer scientist working with emerging technologies to create Speculative Simulations and Data Dramatizations that probe the intricacies of human-machine entanglements, and the cultural, social, and ecological impacts of our contemporary techno-lifestyles. For more than a decade, he has worked with AI, Big Data, and our Collective Consciousness as scraped and shaped by the internet, to reflect on the human condition.

Topic #2 Next generation neuroscience inspired cures

The second topic will focus on a broader set of new advances in cures for diseases of the brain, across genetic, pharmacological, or neuromodulatory approaches, along with social and ethical considerations for these new approaches.

Sameer Sheth, Neurosurgery, BCM
Huda Zogbhi, Director, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, BCM
Tim Schroeder, Philosophy, Rice
Christina Tringides, Materials Sciences & NanoEngineering, Rice
Rua Williams, Applied and Creative Computing, Purdue
Matthew Liao, Director, Center for Bioethics, NYU

Moderator: Behnaam Aazhang – Director, Rice Brain Institute/Rice NEI

Provocation Talk #2: Neuroscience needs to think about Culture

Cristine Legare is a professor of Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin and the director of the Center for Applied Cognitive Science. Her research examines the interplay of the universal human mind and the variations of culture to study cognitive and cultural evolution. She will discuss the need to take cultural variation into account when translating neuroscience into applications that have sustaining societal impact.

Dinner at the Moody Center & Performance of “Free Rein”

"Free Rein" is a real-world neuro-imaging study of creativity. Two dancers will be wearing wireless mobile brain-body imaging equipment while performing a 35 minute dance work that alternates between fixed and improvised music and dance. The musical score was composed by Anthony Brandt, Professor of Composition at the Shepherd School, who also conceived of the study. Choreography is by Andy and Dionne Noble, Artistic Directors of NobleMotion Dance. The research team is headed by neuroscientist Anna Abraham, Director of the Torrance Center for Creativity at the University of Georgia and bioengineer Andrew Nordin from the University of Houston.

Anthony Brandt, Professor of Composition at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
Andy Noble, Co-Artistic Director, NobleMotion Dance
Dionne Noble, Co-Artistic Director, NobleMotion Dance
Anna Abraham, Director, Torrance Center for Creativity, University of Georgia
Andrew Nordin, Assistant Professor, University of Houston

Topic #3: Neuroscience-informed education policy and practice

The third topic focuses on how neuroscience research impacts education policy and practice, focusing both on the research to policy pathway and how typical practice in neuroscience may contribute to educational inequity or lose some of what is critical about learning.

Flavio Cunha, Economics, Rice
Mark Seidenberg, Psychology, University of Wisconsin
Anna Abraham, Director, Torrance Center for Creativity, University of Georgia
Robert Englebretson, Linguistics, Rice
Rachel Gabriel, Literacy Education, University of Connecticut
Oscar Woolnough, Neurosurgery, UT-Health

Moderator: Simon Fischer-Baum, Co-Director Brain & Society, Rice Brain Institute

Lunch & Provocation Talk #3: Neuroscience needs Public Health

Luz Garcini is the Director for Center for Community and Public Health at Kinder Institute and an Associate Professor, Psychological Sciences. Her research, community, advocacy and policy work focuses on identifying, understanding, and addressing the health needs of historically marginalized communities from a biobehavioral and sociocultural perspective

Topic #4: Towards a brain economy transformation

Agustín Ibáñez, Director of the Latin American Brain Health Institute at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and Professor in Global Brain Health at GBHI in Trinity College.
Kana Enomoto, Director of Brain Health, McKinsey Health Institute,

Moderator: Harris Eyre, Co-Director, Brain & Society, Rice Brain Institute

Provocation Talk #4: Neuroscience in the Political Sphere

TBD

Summary discussion and next steps

Organizing committee will lead a final discussion to tie together the themes of the conference and plan for next steps towards bridging the gap between neuroscience research and impact on society