Anne Treisman

Anne Treisman, PhD, is the James S. McDonnell Professor of Psychology at Princeton University. She received her BA from Cambridge University and her D.Phil. from the University of Oxford. She has previously held positions at Oxford University, the University of British Columbia, a Fellowship at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, a position at the …

Wolf Singer

Wolf Singer is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt and Founding Director of the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Brain Research. He studied medicine at the Universities of Munich and Paris, received his M.D. from the Ludwig Maximilian University and his Ph.D. …

Elke Weber

Elke Weber is the Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment and Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University and founder and director of the Behavioral Science for Policy Lab. Her research models decision-making under uncertainty and time delay in financial and environmental contexts from a psychological and neuroscience perspective. Her …

2014 Mind & Life Dialogue XXIX

The nature of the human mind remains one of the most profound unresolved questions we face as a species. While the mind’s ultimate nature may forever elude us, we can nonetheless carefully study the mind’s characteristics, capabilities, and associated phenomena. We have mapped the human genome, the night sky and the fundamental particles of the …

Francisco J. Varela

Francisco J. Varela (1946-2001) co-founded the Mind & Life Institute in 1987. Born in Chile, he received his PhD in Biology from Harvard University in 1970. Trained as a biologist, mathematician, and philosopher, he wrote and edited numerous books and journal articles on biology, neurology, cognitive science, mathematics, and philosophy. Francisco introduced the concept of …

Daniel Irurah

Daniel is currently Associate Professor in Sustainable Architecture & Cities (with deep interest in equitable green-economies as well) at the School of Architecture & Planning, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is an architect and urban environmental policy planner focusing on sustainability and the built environment. With research and consultancy interests …

Lisa Feldman Barrett

Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, is a University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, with appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to the book How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, Dr. Barrett has published over 200 peer-reviewed, scientific papers appearing in Science, Nature Neuroscience, and other top journals in …

New Mind & Life Podcast to Tell Deeper Story of Contemplative Science

In April, the new Mind & Life podcast will make its debut. Neuroscientist, meditator, and Mind & Life Science Director Wendy Hasenkamp will host the show, engaging experts across a range of disciplines in deepening our understanding of the mind and contemplative practice. Guests will share their research and insights, while probing broader issues: What are the …

Varela Grants

Applications for the 2025 cycle will open in summer 2025. Updated December 17th, 2024 Learn more about the 20th anniversary of the Francisco J. Varela Grants. The Mind & Life Francisco J. Varela Research Grants—an important and integral component of Mind & Life’s support of contemplative scientists and scholars—are based on neuroscientist and philosopher Francisco …

Yulia Golland

Dr. Yulia Golland is an Assistant Professor in the Sagol Center for Brain and Mind, at Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, IDC, Herzliya. Her research is broadly focused on the physiological substrates of interpersonal interaction, and combines physiological measures (fMRI, ANS) and real-life social set-ups. In particular, she is interested in the role of the …