American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

The Foundation has funded a series of seminars convened by the AAAS for state, federal, and administrative law court judges on emerging Issues in neuroscience for the past ten years. These seminars are part of Dana’s expanding role in fostering discussion of neuroethical issues. Sponsored seminars and webinars have provided opportunities for judges to better understand the role neuroscience is playing, and may play, in making legal determinations in the courts, from the admissibility of neuroimaging evidence to decisions about criminal culpability, and from the limits of memory to the effects of substance addiction on the brain and behavior. In addition to targeting the judiciary, upcoming programming will also reach court staff and attorneys whose work or interests involve a need to understand neuroscience in the context of legal areas such as health law, science, and technology law, tort law, etc. The current round of funding sponsors increased efforts to evaluate and track the effective impact of the judicial seminars.

This grant supports the Dana Foundation objective to facilitate greater understanding and informed decision-making among professionals by supporting new education approaches on neuroscience topics related to their practice.