The Aspen Institute

Featuring Dr. Mark D’Esposito, distinguished professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, in conversation with Pam Belluck, health and science writer for the New York Times. An expert in the brain mechanisms underlying cognition and memory, Dr. D’Esposito will explain how these neural networks interact, the types of memory required for focus, productivity, and learning, and the role of dopamine in working memory. In addition, he will explore the effects traumatic brain injury, concussion, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease have on the brain, and share actionable tools to enhance our cognitive function and memory.
Paepcke Auditorium, doors at 5:30 pm

While attendance at the events is free and open to everyone, registration is required, and capacity is established on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here.

Parking
Parking is very limited. Please carpool, walk, bike, or ride RFTA. 

Dr. Mark D’Esposito is a Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his medical degree from the SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse and trained in Neurology at Boston University Medical Center. His lab investigates the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and how the brain recovers from injury. He has over 430 research publications cited over 80,000 times, has written and edited seven books, and has received numerous competitive NIH and private foundation research grants. He has trained over 80 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. He served as President of the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology, Chairman of the International Society for Human Brain Mapping, and the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and received the Fred Kavli Distinguished Career Contributions Award from the Cognitive Neuroscience Society.

Pam Belluck is a New York Times staff writer whose honors include a Pulitzer Prize and the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting. Her work has been chosen for The Best American Science Writing. Her book, “Island Practice,” about an eccentric doctor on an island, is in development for television. Belluck covers many subjects, including reproductive health, long Covid, brain science, neurological disorders, and mental health. She also writes about lighter topics, including the discovery of the world’s oldest leather shoe (size 7, right foot, preserved for 5,500 years in sheep dung). Her piece about a lost cat navigating 200 miles home inspired a children’s book. Belluck is frequently invited to speak about her work, has served on advisory boards related to science communication, and was selected to be a Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University. In her spare time, she is a jazz flutist.

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