NeuroFuture: Conversations on Women Advancing Neuroscience Worldwide
Dates:
March 30, 2026, 2:00pm - 3:30pm PDT: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Brain (register with the link below)
June 2026: Brain, Technology, and Ethics
September 2026: Neuroscience, Diversity, and Society
Location: Virtual
Hosted by: IBI, World Women in Neuroscience, UBC Neuroethics Canada
In a series of virtual panel discussions, a collaborative effort between the IBI, the World Women in Neuroscience, and UBC Neuroethics Canada will bring together a wide range of voices in dialogue on the impact of women in neuroscience innovation, and will feature distinguished women neuroscientists to explore the intersections of AI, brain, technology, and ethics, and neuroscience, diversity, and society. Through brief presentations and dynamic audience engagement, this series will create a space where ideas are strengthened through conversation across disciplines and borders.
These free virtual events are open to the full neuroscience network of faculty members, students, research trainees, patient and public stakeholders, and other professionals from organizations located on all continents of the world. Beyond knowledge exchange, this initiative will foster global collaboration and mentorship.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Brain
Monday, March 30, 2026
2:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
Join us for an interactive virtual panel discussion on the current role of artificial intelligence (AI) in neuroscience and the ethical considerations it raises.
Everyone is welcome! This virtual event is free, but registration is required: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S9Gtn-3sT_mb4W8j8UOWBg#/registration
Featured Speakers:
Tamami Fukushi, PhD
Dr. Tamami Fukushi is a professor at the Faculty of Human Welfare, Tokyo Online University. Dr. Fukushi started her career in neuroethics in 2005, and from 2010 to 2017, she experienced science policy and regulatory science, extending her career to science policy making and international cooperation/harmonization in regulation/governance of life science technologies and medicines.
In 2017, she rebooted neuroethics activity and contributed various international cooperative activities including IEEE Neuroethics Framework and Standard Association, International Neuroethics Society Public Communication and Publishing Affinity Group, International Brain Initiative (IBI) Neuroethics Working Group, and Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Collaborative Community (iBCI-CC). From February 2025, she has been assigned as a steering committee member of OECD BNCT project1 (neurotechnology) as a neuroethics expert.
Her current interest of neuroethics is Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in addition to ethics education of advanced technology of neuroscience in the context of engineering ethics, science policy and regulatory science.
Vardit Ravitsky, PhD
Dr. Vardit Ravitsky is President and CEO of the Hastings Center, an independent, nonpartisan bioethics research institute that is among the most prestigious bioethics and health policy institutes in the world. Dr. Ravitsky is a Senior Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was a Full Professor at the Bioethics Program, School of Public Health, University of Montreal.
Dr. Ravitsky’s research focuses on the ethics of genomics and reproduction, as well as the ethics and governance of health AI. She is particularly interested in the various ways in which cultural frameworks shape public debate and public policy around bioethical issues. Her work has been funded by Canada’s national and provincial funding agencies and is currently funded by the NIH and by leading Foundations. She has published over 250 articles and commentaries on bioethical issues and has given over 300 talks world-wide and over 400 media interviews.
Allison Sekuler, PhD
Dr. Allison Sekuler (FSEP, FPsyS, FAPS), President and Chief Scientist of the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education (BARE) and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), has a notable record of scientific achievements in aging, vision, cognitive neuroscience, and neurotechnology. Dr. Sekuler is the Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience at BARE, Professor, Psychology at the University of Toronto, and Professor Emeritus, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University.
Dr. Sekuler’s research uses behavioural and neuroimaging approaches to understand how the brain processes visual information, with specific interests in face perception, motion processing, perceptual learning, neural plasticity, aging, and neurotechnology. Her clinical and translational research aims to develop methods to prevent, detect, and treat age-related sensory and cognitive decline, with her research group being the first to demonstrate conclusively that older brains “rewire” themselves to compensate for functional changes.
Minerva Rivas Velarde, PhD
Dr. Minerva Rivas Velarde is an Associate Professor at the Geneva School of Health Sciences, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Bioethica Forum, and a board member of the Swiss Society for Biomedical Ethics. Dr. Velarde coordinates the Disability Data Initiative Hub for Europe and Central Asia and leads projects at the intersection of disability, health, ethics, and digital innovation.
Dr. Velarde serves as a Member of the WHO/Europe Technical Advisory Group on Disability and Health (2022–2030) and as Adviser to the Lancet Commission on Disability. She is currently co-leading the Crosscultural Working Group of the International Brain Initiative. Dr. Velarde is an active member of the Swiss Disability Research Network.
Her work focuses on advancing equitable healthcare access and inclusive digital transformation for persons with disabilities worldwide.
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