Careers at the Intersection of Neuroscience and Philanthropy

The Neuro& webinar series, hosted by the International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA) in collaboration with the Dana Foundation, gives students a chance to learn from professionals about the many ways neuroscience intersects with fields across society. Students hear from experts in neuroscience at the intersection of law, communications, artificial intelligence, ethics, social justice, and more with a goal of finding inspiration to pursue interdisciplinary paths within neuroscience.

In the most recent Neuro& event, Dana Foundation Vice President of Neuroscience & Society Khara Ramos, Ph.D., talked to students about neuroscience and philanthropy. She paints a picture of possible ways aspiring neuroscientists can approach the field with a focus on science funding, policy, and the social impact of neuroscience research.

Ramos first highlighted the promising future that exists in neuroscience funding, sharing research highlights from 2025 that cover developments in neurotechnologies and AI. “There’s so much going on in neurotech development,” Ramos says. “Last year in the US, there was almost $5 billion of private investment in neurotechnology companies.”

She also emphasized the importance of private philanthropic funding for science due to changes in federal grantmaking: “The federal government [is still] the largest player, but together universities and nonprofits are funding a large and increasing share of the US science ecosystem.”

Ramos’ own career journey showed audience members firsthand the ways in which neuroscience students can apply their work toward benefiting society. She first engaged with neuroscience as an undergrad at Stanford University, studying symbolic systems. By graduate school, where she received her Ph.D. in neuroscience, she realized she didn’t want to work in a lab and became curious about other types of careers available for people with advanced scientific training. It was during her postdoc training at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she learned about science policy. This “watershed moment,” she says, “was a way to combine my passion for science…with…curiosity, responsibility, and a real excitement for what’s possible.”

Ramos was selected to be a Science & Technology Fellow hosted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a program run by the American Association of the Advancement of Science, which provides opportunities for scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about federal policymaking. Following the fellowship, Ramos held various roles at the NIH and ultimately became the inaugural program director in neuroethics at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, where she focused on the NIH’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. This multi-billion-dollar effort to advance innovative neurotechnologies launched in 2013 and included collaborations to integrate neuroethics with neuroscience research and training.

Now, as VP at the Dana Foundation, Ramos oversees the Dana Foundation’s grant programs in education, training, and public engagement to support neuroscience for the public good. Looking back on her own career, Ramos emphasized the importance of considering different points of entry to careers in science funding, whether through programming, policy, communications, or other fields, and by expanding professional networks, attending webinars, and talking to teachers and mentors.

Following her presentation, attendees eagerly engaged with Ramos in a Q&A session, diving deeper into neurophilanthropy and potential career paths. “It was inspiring to hear the students’ questions,” says Ramos, “indicating how deeply they’re thinking about opportunities to work together towards the vision of brain science for a better future.”

Watch her full webinar below and see all Neuro& videos on our YouTube page.