Rachel Wurzman, Ph.D.
Rachel Wurzman, PhD, is a neuroscientist and neuroethicist. She is a Dana Fellow in Neuroscience & Society, focusing on the Dana Frontiers programs. In addition, she serves as Senior Fellow with the Institute for Biodefense Research, as well as Affiliate Faculty with the Neuroethics Studies Program of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University. She has been a Fellow with the Penn Center for Neuroscience and Society and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Neurology with the Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, both at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, Rachel has served as a subject matter expert and neuroethics advisor to the military as well as multiple public and industry neuroscience initiatives, programs, and working groups. Rachel was also a co-founder and Director of Science for SeekHealing, a nonprofit focused on improving relational social health in communities to address the root causes of addiction, suicide, and radicalization. Rachel received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University’s Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, MS degrees in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University and Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University, and a BA in Neuroscience from Smith College.
Getting People Talking: Promoting Public Engagement with Neuroethics
An interview with Civic Science Fellow Claire Weichselbaum on developing new approaches for public engagement around the ethical and societal impacts of neuroscience.
Building Trust, Breaking Down Barriers to Co-Creating the Future of Neuroscience
Neuroscience is not just for scientists! At a panel during the 2023 AAAS annual meeting, researchers presented several successful pilot projects that offer models for drawing non-scientists into the conversation about how science is created, applied, and given priority.
Inside the Brain: Knowable Series Launch
How does our sense of self persist throughout life, when our bodies, and especially our brains, look and work very differently at various stages of our lives, from infancy to late adulthood? Register for the free, virtual series Inside the Brain: A Lifetime of Change.
Brain Awareness Week Grantee Interview: Emilie Tresse-Gommeaux, Ph.D.
Emilie Tresse-Gommeaux, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Biotech Research & Innovation Centre, where she also helps lead the development of the school’s annual Brain Awareness Week events. The Danish institution was a 2022 recipient of the FENS/Dana Foundation Brain Awareness Week Grant and organized elaborate activities designed to engage younger […]
Misinformation Epidemic Raises Stakes for Solutions
Can cognitive-training tools equip people to resist fake news? Are top-down measures necessary? Neuroscientists help sort out what could work.
Brain Awareness Week Grantee Interview: Rossana C. Zepeda and Claudia Juárez-Portilla
Rossana Citlali Zepeda, Ph.D., and Claudia Juárez-Portilla, Ph.D., are neuroscientists and faculty members of Universidad Veracruzana’s Biomedical Research Center in Mexico. For the past several years, they have been coordinating a series of free, public events for Brain Awareness Week, to shed light on the importance of neuroscience research and knowledge about the brain. Their […]
Can Social Prescriptions Improve Cognitive and Mental Health?
Social connectedness gains ground as a formal strategy for reducing health burdens.
Survey Finds Brain Health is a Top Priority for Americans
Executive OverviewAn executive overview of the Jan 2023 Dana Foundation / Research!America survey of American's views on the brain and brain health.
Brain Awareness Week Grantee Interview: Adejoke Elizabeth Memudu, Ph.D.
In Edo State, Nigeria, Dr. Memudu and colleagues scheduled some Brain Awareness events in a cascade: starting the discussion on a radio show in the morning and ending with an in-person discussion in the evening.
Dana Alliances: Mission Accomplished
A look back at three decades of education, influence, and outreachA look back at three decades of education, influence, and outreach.