Almost twenty years since the “Decade of the Brain”, governments are investing heavily in large global efforts to map the human brain and identify the neurobiological basis of thought and behaviour. These initiatives include the US BRAIN Initiative, the European Human Brain Project, the China Brain Project, and the Australian Brain Initiative. Developments in neuroscience are promising to improve our ability to treat or prevent mental illness, neurological disorders, and cognitive decline, and mitigate the harms of criminal behaviour. This burgeoning area of neuroscience research raises critical ethical, legal, and social challenges that have been recognised by the integration of neuroethical and neurolegal research within these initiatives. How might these developments in neuroscience  impact Australian society?

Neuroscience & Society will feature leading national and international academics and practitioners in an interdisciplinary program addressing themes including:

• Ageing and dementia
• The developing brain
• Disability and mental health
• Disorders of self control
• Moral cognition and moral technologies (e.g. nudges, sensor society)
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Confirmed international speakers include:

• Prof Katrina Sifferd, Faculty of Philosophy, Elmhurst College (USA)
• Brian Earp, Oxford Centre for Neuroethics, Oxford University (UK)
• Dr Katy de Kogel, Ministry of Security and Justice, The Netherlands (via videolink)

Neuroscience & Society will also officially launch the Australian Neuroethics Network, a collection of leading researchers and practitioners examining the implications of neuroscience for Australia. Become part of this important Australian initiative.

Registration and program details will be released shortly. Watch this space! Enquiries may be emailed to adrian.carter@monash.edu.au or jeanette.kennett@mq.edu.au