Professor Guy Williams is a leading academic at the University of Cambridge with a focus on imaging science and clinical neurosciences, affiliated with Downing College and the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre . Holding a PhD in Physics from his initial Natural Sciences degree, he specializes in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and MRI techniques for brain imaging. Education: BA, PhD in Physics His research centers on non-invasive imaging of brain structure and function, particularly in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and dementia. His work involves developing novel MRI pulse sequences and advanced data analysis algorithms, including AI-based diagnostic tools. He leads studies on white matter integrity post-trauma, longitudinal dementia assessment, and applications of MRI in disorders of consciousness and addiction. Recent publications highlight collaborations in traumatic brain injury outcomes, AI-guided dementia prediction, and neuroimaging of post-COVID cognitive deficits. His team's work on ultra-high field laminar fMRI and distortion correction methods has advanced clinical neuroscience applications. Key techniques include diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), 7 Tesla MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET/MR). His research spans from basic NMR physics to clinical translation, with a strong emphasis on multi-site studies and real-world diagnostic implementation.
Chang S. (CS) Nam is a Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University, with affiliations in the UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Psychology. He holds editorial roles as Editor-in-Chief of Brain-Computer Interfaces journal and is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. His research focuses on advancing human-centered technologies through neuroergonomics, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and rehabilitation engineering, supported by grants from NSF, AFRL, AFOSR, and the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences. Education: Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, Virginia Tech (2003) MSIE in Industrial Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo (2000) Research Interests: His work spans neurorehabilitation, haptic interaction design, and BCI applications, aiming to bridge human cognitive and neural processes with technological systems. Key areas include adaptive human-computer interaction, EEG-based emotion recognition, and spatial augmented reality for skill training. Grants & Awards: Recipient of NSF CAREER Award (2010), Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship (2018), and the Leland S. Kollmorgen Spirit of Innovation Award (2019) Editor of Brain-Computer Interfaces Handbook: Technological and Theoretical Advances (CRC Press) Advising & Labs: Advises students like Lingchao Mao and Priscille Koutouan Leads the Brain-Computer Interface and Neuroergonomics Lab, developing BCI systems for communication in vegetative states and neurorehabilitation
Daan Christiaens is a tenure track lecturer at KU Leuven's Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering Sciences. He is affiliated with the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT) and Department of Imaging & Pathology, serving as a member of the Medical Imaging Division and the KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI). His academic responsibilities include membership in the Faculty Councils of Engineering Sciences and Medicine. His research focuses on: Inverse problems in medical imaging reconstruction Neuroimaging techniques for brain analysis Advanced quantitative MRI methodologies Diffusion-weighted imaging for microstructural assessment Dr. Christiaens' recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on diffusion MRI innovations, including novel reconstruction algorithms, neonatal brain development mapping, and clinical applications for neurodegenerative disorders. Key technical themes include motion correction, multi-shell modeling, and AI-enhanced image processing, while clinical applications span Alzheimer's disease, cerebral palsy, and autism research. He leads significant research projects including: MRI reconstruction with dynamic field monitoring (2024-2028) Compressed sensing for microstructure imaging (2022-2026) Neonatal diffusion MRI network connectivity analysis (2024-2028) As a core developer of the MRtrix3 software framework for medical image processing, he contributes to essential tools in neuroimaging research.
Professor Dirk Bernhardt-Walther is an academic at the University of Toronto, serving as Program Director of the Cognitive Science Program and Department of Psychology . He investigates neural and computational mechanisms underlying high-level sensory perception, focusing on real-world scenes, mid-level vision, and visual aesthetics. Education: PhD in Computation and Neural Systems (Caltech, 2006), M.Phil (University of Cambridge) Research Focus: His lab employs fMRI, MEG, EEG , and GAN-generated stimuli to study scene categorization, perceptual organization, and aesthetic processing. Recent work explores curvature perception, emotion representation in scenes, and neural dissociations between computational and subjective visual metrics. Laboratory Members: The Bernhardt-Walther Lab includes PhD students like Gaeun Son (scene perception), Charlotte Leferink (scene representation), and Dela Farzanfar (aesthetic processing), alongside postdocs and collaborators. Advising: Supervises graduate students in projects combining computational modeling, psychophysics, and neuroimaging, particularly those with backgrounds in computer science or cognitive neuroscience.
Dr. Camilla Nord serves as Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychiatry and is Programme Leader at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit. She holds dual appointments as Co-Director of Postgraduate Education & Director of the MPhil in Cognitive Neuroscience at the MRC CBU, and as Fellow and Director of Studies at Christ's College Cambridge. Nord directs the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab (nordlab.co.uk), which focuses on translating neuroscience into improved mental health treatments through innovative pharmacological, psychological, and neurostimulation interventions. Her research spans three interconnected streams: Discovery Science investigates brain-body interactions including interoception, circadian rhythms, and metabolism as neglected sources of mental health information; Experimental Medicine employs pharmacological manipulation, brain stimulation, and psychological interventions to establish causal relationships between physiological mechanisms and mental health conditions; and Translational Neuroscience develops clinical trials for neuroscience-based interventions, particularly 'acute augmentations' that enhance psychological therapy efficacy. Her lab has demonstrated how gut states cause disgust avoidance and how psychological therapy techniques alter negative learning processes. Analysis of Nord's publication record reveals a strong emphasis on computational approaches to mental health, with particular focus on depression treatment mechanisms. Her work increasingly integrates brain-body interactions, especially gut-brain and metabolic pathways, into mental health frameworks. Recent publications show growing emphasis on patient-centered research, interoception, and transdiagnostic approaches that cut across traditional psychiatric categories. Wellcome Career Development Award (£1.5 million) Wellcome Mental Health Award (£4.3 million, jointly awarded with Prof. Sarah Garfinkel) Sunday Times Book of the Year (2023) for 'The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health' Financial Times Book of the Year (2023) for 'The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health' Nord actively mentors PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with her trainees receiving prestigious awards including the British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP) Poster Prize, BAP Hannah Steinberg Bursary, and Alwyn Lishman Prize. Her lab is currently funded by MRC intramural funding, a Wellcome Career Development Award, and a Wellcome Mental Health Award, supporting innovative research at the intersection of neuroscience and mental health treatment. The Mental Health Neuroscience Lab operates within the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, collaborating extensively with researchers across Cambridge and internationally. The lab maintains strong connections with clinical services and patient groups, ensuring research remains grounded in real-world mental health challenges. Current work focuses on transcranial ultrasound stimulation, gut-brain axis interventions, and computational modeling of mental health mechanisms.
Dr. Robin Laycock is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University. He leads the Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (SoCoNeuro) Lab, focusing on behavioral and neural mechanisms of social perception in neurotypical and neurodivergent populations, including autism spectrum disorders and the neurocognitive effects of concussion. His research integrates methodologies such as eye-tracking, EEG, and fNIRS to study visual perception, face processing, and the impact of stress/anxiety on cognition. Dr. Laycock holds a PhD from La Trobe University, where he investigated visual processing pathways. His work also includes the BabyFace study, exploring social perception in pre-term infants using fNIRS. He is affiliated with RMIT’s Healthy Foundations Research Group and supervises research projects on topics like concussion neurocognition and social media’s neurobiological effects. Research interests span visual neuroscience, social neuroscience, and clinical applications of neuroimaging. He teaches undergraduate courses in Biological Psychology and supervises postgraduate research in vision science, neuropsychology, and affective neuroscience. His lab’s recent studies examine sex differences in sports-related concussion neuroimaging and the role of deepfakes in emotion perception research. He actively collaborates on projects addressing autism traits, stress effects on visual processing, and neuroimaging advancements.
Frederick Eberhardt is a Professor of Philosophy at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) since 2013. He holds a B.S. from the London School of Economics (2002), an M.S. from Carnegie Mellon University (2005), and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon (2007). His research focuses on the intersection of philosophy of science, machine learning, and cognitive science, emphasizing causal discovery from data, experimental methods in causality, and foundational issues in probability and causality. He also explores computational models in psychology and historical work on Hans Reichenbach's philosophy. Recent publications span topics like causal emergence, Reichenbachian probability coordination, and causal mapping in neuroscience. His work bridges formal philosophy with empirical applications in cognitive science and computational methods. Education: B.S., London School of Economics, 2002 M.S., Carnegie Mellon University, 2005 Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, 2007 Research interests include formal philosophy of science, causal inference techniques, machine learning applications to causal discovery, and the philosophical underpinnings of probability. His work on causal abstraction and computational models in cognitive science highlights interdisciplinary approaches to understanding causal mechanisms. Recent publications emphasize integrating experimental and observational data for causal discovery, with applications in neuroscience and psychology. Publications reflect a focus on advancing causal reasoning methods, from theoretical frameworks to empirical validation. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided text. Advising and grants details are not available here. Eberhardt is affiliated with Caltech’s Philosophy Department and contributes to theoretical and applied research in causality and its implications across disciplines.
Anthony D. Wagner is the Lucie Stern Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University and Deputy Director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. He holds affiliations with Stanford's Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging, Symbolic Systems Program, Human Biology Program, and Stanford Center on Longevity. His PhD (1997) is from Stanford University in Psychology. Research focuses on the neurobiology of learning, memory, and executive function across ages, with translational studies on aging, Alzheimer’s disease, multitasking, and neuroscience applications in law. Key themes include biomarker development for neurodegeneration, cognitive resilience, and the impact of attention on memory. Labs/teams include collaborations at the Wu Tsai Institute and neuroimaging centers. Recent work emphasizes tau PET imaging, proteomics of aging, and fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer’s prediction. He also explores societal impacts of neurotechnology and media on cognition.
Professor Emily S. Cross is a cognitive and social neuroscientist holding dual appointments at the University of Glasgow's School of Psychology & Neuroscience (UK) and Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute (Australia). She directs the Social Brain in Action Laboratory (SoBA), specializing in how embodied experiences shape social perception. Cross earned a BA in psychology and dance from Pomona College, MSc from University of Otago as a Fulbright Fellow, and PhD in cognitive neuroscience from Dartmouth College, followed by postdoctoral training at University of Nottingham and Max Planck Institute. Her research explores experience-dependent plasticity through dance, robotics, and neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, TMS), focusing on four key areas: neural signatures of embodied expertise, neuroaesthetics, visual learning across lifespan, and social engagement with robots. This interdisciplinary work bridges neuroscience, performing arts, and robotics. Cross's research shows strong focus on human-robot interaction dynamics, cultural perceptions of robotics, and the neural correlates of aesthetic experiences. Recent work investigates how social experience shapes human-robot interaction, cross-cultural differences in robot acceptance, and computational approaches to movement analysis. Publications consistently demonstrate methodological innovation through VR, economic games, and large-scale motion capture libraries. Honors & Awards: Jacob Brownowski Award (British Science Association, 2017) Philip Leverhulme Prize in Psychology (2018) World's 50 Most Renowned Women in Robotics (2020) Elected member: Young Academy of Europe Elected member: Royal Society of Edinburgh's Young Academy of Scotland Her ERC Starting Grant funds groundbreaking work on human-robot interaction. Cross leads the Social Brain in Action Lab with focus on mentoring next-generation scientists and research ethics training. The lab employs neuroimaging, training paradigms, and diverse methodologies to study action observation across dance, music, and robotics domains.
Anna Levina is an Assistant Professor for Computational Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen , affiliated with the Department of Computer Science under the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on the self-organization of neuronal activity, critical dynamics in neural networks, and the excitation/inhibition balance in cortical circuits. Current positions: Assistant Professor (since 2018), Group Leader (2017-2018), Equality Officer (Computer Science) Previous roles: IST Fellow (2015-2017), Associated Researcher (2011-2015), Postdoc/PI (2011-2015), Postdoc (2008-2011) Her research integrates mathematical modeling , statistical physics , and computational neuroscience to study criticality phenomena, neural avalanches, and adaptive network dynamics. Key interests include: Self-organized criticality in neural systems Excitation/Inhibition balance mechanisms Network topology and dynamics Timescale analysis in neural processing Stochastic modeling of neural activity Recent publications reveal trends in understanding critical dynamics across biological and artificial networks, with applications to memory systems, sensorimotor integration, and disease modeling. She has received recognition as an IST Fellow .
Gaetano Valenza is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pisa, Italy, where he leads the Neuro-Cardiovascular Intelligence Lab at the Enrico Piaggio Research Centre. He holds affiliations with the Neuroscience Statistics Research Laboratory at MIT and has served as a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. His academic work spans bioengineering, computational physiology, and affective computing. His research focuses on statistical and nonlinear biomedical signal and image processing , cardiovascular and neural modeling , and physiologically interpretable artificial intelligence . He develops wearable systems for physiological monitoring, with applications in autonomic nervous system assessment, brain-heart interactions, and mental health. His work has led to novel metrics such as the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic activity indices derived from ECG. The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent trend in brain-heart interplay , complexity analysis of physiological signals , explainable AI in healthcare , and virtual reality applications in mental health . His work integrates advanced signal processing, nonlinear dynamics, and machine learning to decode emotional and cognitive states from physiological data. Dr. Valenza is a Senior Member of IEEE and serves on several technical committees. He is an active editorial leader, currently serving as Associate Editor for IEEE-EMBC , Plos One , Complexity , and Scientific Reports , and has guest-edited special issues in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A and IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics . He has led or participated in numerous international research projects, including FP7 and H2020 initiatives such as NEVERMIND and EXPERIENCE. He teaches courses in Biostatistics, Probability & Biostatistics, and Advanced Image Processing at the University of Pisa. As lab head and project coordinator, he leads a multidisciplinary team working on neuro-cardiovascular intelligence, wearable systems, and AI-driven mental health interventions.
Andrew Yonelinas is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, where he directs the Human Memory Lab. He holds additional leadership roles as Associate Director of the Center for Mind and Brain and is an affiliated faculty member with the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. His research bridges cognitive psychology and neuroscience to investigate fundamental memory mechanisms and their neural substrates. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from McMaster University (1995) and a B.S. in Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto (1990). These foundational studies established his expertise in experimental methodologies and cognitive theory. Yonelinas specializes in dual-process models of memory, distinguishing between recollection (detailed contextual retrieval) and familiarity (vague recognition). His lab employs process dissociation, remember/know procedures, and ROC modeling alongside neuroimaging (fMRI, ERP) and clinical studies with amnesic and Alzheimer's patients. Recent work expands into auditory working memory, multisensory integration, and the impact of mental illness on cognitive processes, revealing hippocampal roles across memory systems. His research consistently addresses how memory fails in clinical conditions while developing unified theoretical frameworks. Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications shows a strong focus on memory mechanisms across sensory modalities, with increasing emphasis on clinical applications. Key trends include hippocampal contributions to visual/auditory working memory, EEG-based biomarkers for mental illness, and the interplay between schema knowledge and memory distortion in aging populations. His work demonstrates methodological innovation through model-based EEG phenotyping and multisite clinical collaborations. His scientific recognition includes: American Psychological Society’s Shahin Hashtroudi Memorial Award University of California Chancellor’s Fellow Award European Brain and Behavior Society International Lecture Award Yonelinas actively shapes his field through editorial roles at top journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Journal of Experimental Psychology, while serving as a grant reviewer for NIH, NSF, and international funding bodies. His Human Memory Lab trains next-generation researchers in memory theory and methodology, with recent projects examining stress effects on memory precision and neural mechanisms of action slips. The Human Memory Lab operates within UC Davis's neuroscience ecosystem, collaborating closely with the Center for Mind and Brain on projects involving clinical populations and neuroimaging. Current initiatives include the CNTRACS Consortium for EEG standardization in mental illness and investigations into how stress modulates memory binding through hippocampal mechanisms.
Joseph Tao-yi Wang is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Economics at National Taiwan University (NTU). He holds a PhD from UCLA and previously served as a Postdoctoral Scholar and Visiting Associate at Caltech. His research spans experimental economics, neuroeconomics, game theory, and behavioral economics, with a focus on strategic decision-making, market design, and learning in games. Wang directs the Taiwan Social Sciences Experimental Laboratory (TASSEL), which hosts large-scale experimental research and conferences like the 2017 APESA. His work integrates eye-tracking, pupillometry, and machine learning to study cognitive processes in economic decisions. Wang is also active in educational innovation, developing flipped classroom models with experiments for economics courses. His publications consistently explore behavioral deviations from game-theoretic predictions, such as overcommunication in sender-receiver games and learning patterns in auctions. Recent work emphasizes reproducibility in management science and AI applications in education. Wang’s research uses diverse methodologies—from neuroimaging to field experiments—to test economic theories in real-world contexts. Wang mentors through NTU’s Berkeley Economics Student Assistant Program (BESAP) and organizes mini-courses for high school students. He has not received scientific awards per the available data.
Emily S. Cross is Professor at the University of Glasgow's School of Psychology & Neuroscience, where she co-directs the Social Brain in Action Lab (SoBA) and leads the ERC Starting Grant 'Social Robots' project. She completed her PhD at Dartmouth College and held positions at Bangor University, Radboud University, and the University of Western Australia before joining Glasgow. Her research explores: Experience-dependent plasticity through dance and motor learning Social cognition in human-robot interaction Emotional processing during action observation Aesthetic perception of movement Cross-cultural differences in technology acceptance Professor Cross uses neuroimaging (fMRI), neurostimulation (TMS, tDCS), and behavioral methods to study how we perceive and learn from human and artificial agents. Her work has been published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal of Neuroscience, and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. She currently supervises projects on robot-assisted health interventions and develops VR paradigms to study social cognition.
Akshay R. Rao is a Professor and General Mills Chair in Marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management . He holds a PhD in Marketing from Virginia Tech and has served as founding Director of the Institute for Research in Marketing (2005-2010) and Chairman of the Marketing & Logistics Management Department (2003-2006). Rao has also held visiting positions at MIT and Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Honors), Madras University (1978) Master of Business Administration in Marketing, XLRI - Xavier School of Management (1980) Doctor of Philosophy in Marketing, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1986) Rao's research spans consumer behavior, pricing strategy, brand management , and political marketplace segmentation , with recent work examining vaccine hesitancy , political ideology effects on consumer behavior , and fake news dynamics . His work appears in top journals including Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Marketing , and Harvard Business Review , covering topics from neuromarketing to information economics . Scientific recognition includes: Robert Ferber Award (1987) Harold Maynard Award (2000) Distinguished Alumnus, XLRI (2011) He has testified before the Federal Trade Commission and served on editorial boards of Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Marketing . Beyond academia, Rao consults for global firms like 3M and Medtronic, and has conducted the Minnesota Orchestra twice in 2024-2025.
