Rebecca R Saxe

Rebecca R Saxe is the John W. Jarve Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Associate Dean of Science at MIT, affiliated with the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research. She earned her Ph.D. from MIT and was a Harvard Junior Fellow. Her research focuses on the neural basis of social cognition, including infant development, theory of mind, and moral reasoning. She has pioneered neuroimaging techniques for studying young children and adults.

Education: Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from MIT. Former Harvard Junior Fellow.

Research Interests: Saxe’s work explores how the brain processes social interactions, moral judgments, and social relationships. Recent studies include infant face perception, neurodevelopmental imaging applications, and the cognitive mechanisms of punishment and authority.

Key Awards:

• Troland Award (National Academy of Sciences)
• Guggenheim Fellowship
• MIT Committed to Caring Award
• American Academy of Arts and Sciences Member

Lab & Projects: Directs the Saxe Lab at MIT, advancing infant neuroimaging and computational models of social cognition. Current projects investigate social dynamics, neuroethical challenges, and global applications of cognitive neuroscience.