Gustavus has announced its eight speakers for Nobel Conference 47. This year the topic will be: “the Brain and Being Human”. All of the speakers that will be presenting specialize in neuroscience, or the scientific study of the nervous system and the brain, particularly how these two function and add to the human experience.

Larry J. Young, Ph.D.

Dr. Young is researching the relationship between genes, the brain and innate behaviors such as courtship, parental care, and aggression. He hopes to gain better insight into neurological disorders that are often characterized by social impairments. Dr. Young has worked for the Department of Psychiatry at Emory University since 1996.

Nancey Murphy, Ph.D., Th.D.

An ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren, Nancey Murphy is professor of Christian Philosophy at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Her research focuses on the role of modern and postmodern philosophy in shaping Christian theology, and on relations between theology and science.

John Donoghue, Ph.D.

Dr. Donoghue is currently the Henry Merritt Wriston Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University. For more than 20 years, Dr. Donoghue has conducted research on brain computer interfaces and his laboratory is internationally recognized as a leader in this field.

Vilayanur Ramachandran, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Ramachandran is known for his work in behavioral neurology and psychophysics. Newsweek named Dr. Ramachandran one of the one hundred most important people to watch in the next century. He is a Professor of Psychology and Neurosciences Program, University of California at San Diego.

Martha Farah, Ph.D.

Dr. Farah is a cognitive neuroscientist who specializes in studying the effects society can inflict upon the neurological makeup of humans. Dr. Farah currently works as the Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Natural Sciences and as the director of the Center for Neuroscience & Society at the University of Pennsylvania.

Paul W. Glimcher, Ph.D.

Dr. Glimcher is currently the principal investigator at the New York University’s Center for Neuroeconomics. The long term goal of Glimcher’s research is to describe how neural events underlie decision-making, employing an interdisciplinary approach called “neuroeconomics”.

Helen Mayberg, M.D.

Dr. Helen Mayberg, has studied neural network models of mood regulation using neuroimaging. She is developing a new form of treatment for patients with severe depression known as deep brain stimulation, or DBS. Mayberg is currently a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Neurology at Emory University.

Aniruddh D. Patel, Ph.D.

Dr. Patel specializes in studying music and language. Patel’s research focuses on the relationship between the two and their similarities and differences in neural cognition in order to study cognitive and neural mechanisms. Dr. Patel joined the Neurosciences Institute in 1997 and is currently the Esther J. Burnham Senior Fellow.