Indre Viskontas

Indre Viskontas is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of San Francisco with a cross-appointment at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She serves as Director of Communications for the Sound Health Network and Chief Science Officer at Reverberation, leveraging her dual expertise in neuroscience and music. Her academic roles include President-Elect of the Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity and Chair of NeuroArts BluePrint's Scientific Advisory Board.

Her research spans creativity, memory, and music cognition, examining how artistic engagement impacts brain health. Viskontas integrates neuroscience with opera direction through Pasadena Opera, where she serves as Creative Director. Her work emphasizes translating complex scientific concepts into public-facing content through podcasts, books, and multimedia projects.

Viskontas' publication history reveals consistent focus on creativity mechanisms, music-brain interactions, and cognitive training. Recent work explores digital technology's impact on creativity (2023), gender differences in creative performance (2025), and cyber-creativity frameworks (2025). Her research bridges laboratory findings with real-world applications in education, health, and the arts.

• Osher Fellow, California Academy of Sciences (2023)
• Davies Chair, University of San Francisco (2022)
• Webby Award Honoree for Cadence podcast (2021)
• Hellman Fellow, UCSF
• Cermak Post-Doctoral Award

As principal investigator of The Creative Brain Lab, Viskontas mentors students through interdisciplinary projects combining neuroscience with artistic practice. Her grant portfolio includes collaborations with the Sound Health Network and NeuroArts BluePrint, focusing on music interventions for neurological conditions. She directs the Ensemble Project investigating group creativity dynamics in musical contexts.

The Creative Brain Lab operates at the USF campus, collaborating with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and local arts organizations. Current initiatives include the Ensemble Project studying musical group dynamics and partnerships with healthcare institutions exploring music-based interventions for neurodegenerative diseases.