Big news out of the National Science Foundation, the story from the Chronicle is here. These are extremely challenging times for US science agencies with the imminent threat of sequestration. The problem is that, as President of Carnegie Mellon, with its institutional emphasis on science and technology, those challenges are going to likely follow him north to Pittsburgh. We wish him luck though…
Author: jlolds
Native Angeleno, professor of Neuroscience and Public Policy at George Mason University
NeuroX: The Good, the bad and the ugly about pop neuroscience…
May 8-10 in Washington: our annual executive short course–this year looking at all things neuroscience in the mass media. What can we trust? Site is up and running here!
The Human Brain Project…
A brilliant op ed in today’s FT, here from Gary Marcus at NYU. Money quote:
At present, the Human Brain Project seems too tilted towards physical understanding, with too little weight given to functional understanding. Truly understanding the brain will require bridging between the two.
Washington DC’s Harvard?
At least for the Metro Area, here. Can we claim the Ravens also?
Today’s Monday seminar…at 4PM
Just a reminder for local folks, that our Spring semester series kicks off today with a talk by Claudio Cioffi, who heads up the Institute’s Center for Social Complexity. Please join us if you are in the area.
Neural basis of the placebo effect…
Great summary of Ted Kaptchuk’s work in Harvard Magazine, here. Hat tip to Arts&Sciences Daily.
Bump on the road to Exascale?
In Science Magazine here. Bottom-line: governments seem to be running scared and there’s little financial incentive for the big chip makers.
Orr’s review of Thomas Nagel’s new book…
On mind and cosmos–surely the center of our own Krasnow Institute’s scientific program, here in the NY Review of Books. Somehow I feel certain that there will be an enjoyable Institute Brown Bag lunch on this book.
And so it begins…
Obama’s second term actually began yesterday with his first second swearing in, but today is inauguration day here in Washington. We’ll see about how his second term plays out, but what I’m really excited about is the beginning of the Spring semester here at Mason, which begins tomorrow.
There are about 50 undergraduate neuroscience majors registered for my cellular neuroscience class–we’ll meet in person for the first time tomorrow, although the class blog and Facebook page are already active.
And in the meantime, the exciting research program of the Krasnow Institute goes forward. The Institute is now in its twenty-third year! Sometimes I’m shocked to think of how far its progressed over these two plus decades. We are now in the process of beginning to prepare grants for a second MRI, and planning for the process which will bring all of our research efforts into the facility–under one roof.
Why do we remember our 20’s so well?
Lots of different theories, story here. I’m fond of the notion that the frequency of diverse episodes is greater during out twenties and that this increased frequency of episodic memories enhances the overall memory for that decade.
