Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

The Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory was founded in 1995 by James L. McGaugh, Founding Director of the CNLM. The lectures are an integral part of the CNLM's outreach mission and are intended for a lay audience. The series is widely regarded as the most successful public lecture series at UC Irvine and in Orange County.

Dr. McGaugh was the series' inaugural speaker in 1995 and has been the distinguished speaker on numerous occasions. Series speakers are world-renowned scientists who have made significant advances to brain research, particularly in the area of learning and memory. The speakers are chosen not only for the reputation of their research, but also for their ability to convey the importance and implications of that research to a lay audience.

Public lectures have been held each year since 1995, and attract capacity audiences of Irvine and Orange County community members, professionals and high school and college students.

Lectures are held at the Irvine Barclay Theatre (adjacent to the UCI campus) at 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Parking is provided in an adjacent structure for $10 (more information).

Lectures are free of charge but registration is required and early arrival is highly recommended.

Attendees are provided with ample opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the speakers. Lectures are generally 45-50 minutes long and are followed by about 20-30 minutes of questions from the audience. Each lecture is preceded by a special backstage reception in honor of the speaker, which is attended by Friends of the CNLM, as well as CNLM Fellows and UCI's leadership. To inquire about how to join the Friends and receive VIP tickets to the backstage reception, please click here.

After the lecture, cookies are served in the lobby, where audience members have a chance to meet and interact with the speaker one-on-one.

Barclay Lectures are uploaded to our YouTube channel and available for viewing at any time.

Past Lectures

The 27th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

CNLM Director Michael A. Yassa Will Serve as the First Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the School of Biological Sciences

The Beginning of the End for Alzheimer's Disease

Michael A. Yassa, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior
Director of the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 | 7 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

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The 26th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Conscience: The origins of moral intuition

Patricia Churchland, Ph.D.
Neurophilosopher and professor emerita of philosophy
University of California, San Diego

Monday, January 27, 2020 | 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

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The 25th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Can we create new senses for humans?

David M. Eagleman, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Stanford University School of Medicine

Monday January 28, 2018 | 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

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The 24th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Linking Brains to Machines: From Basic Science to Neurorehabilitation

Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience
Co-Director, Center for Neuroengineering
Duke University

Tuesday, February 27, 2018 - 7:30PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Watch the lecture here

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The 23rd Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

What can we learn from the sleeping brain?

Ruth Benca, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair,
Psychiatry and Human Behavior,
UC Irvine School of Medicine

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 - 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Sleep is a universal and fundamental process that is present in every animal species and occupies a third of our lives. Although sleep disorders and sleep deprivation have a major impact on public health and great societal costs, the function of sleep has remained largely a mystery. Recent studies have not only begun to explain why we sleep but have also shown that important information about normal as well as abnormal brain function can be revealed by the sleeping brain.

Watch the lecture here

The 22nd Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Exercise for the Brain: Is it Worth the Sweat?

Laura D. Baker, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
Public Health Wake Forest School of Medicine

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 - 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Aerobic exercise has potent protective and restorative effects on multiple systems and processes that support the overall health of the body. The benefits of exercise on the brain, particularly for older adults with early changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have become an important focus in science over the last 10 years. Aerobic exercise improves vascular function and benefits lipid profiles, protects against metabolic and cardiovascular disease, has favorable effects on inflammation, mitigates physiological and psychological stress responses, and improves mood. We and others have shown that regular aerobic exercise can improve cognition in adults who are at high risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s dementia. Given what we know so far, aerobic exercise ‘therapy’ to prevent or slow AD progression may be – worth the sweat.

The 21st Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Aging and Disease in Modern Times

Randy Buckner, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital

Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Students graduating from college today can expect to live to 100 if they reach retirement age. How will we face the challenges and opportunities of aging now that so many will live into their ninth and tenth decades? Recent approaches to brain aging provide markers and understanding of the age-related changes that affect cognition and offer ways to explore treatments for the most devastating illnesses. But there is another challenge - the modern world is disconnected from that of our ancestors. Many of us live a relatively sedentary lifestyle and young adults growing up in the digital age have shifted sleep and social habits. How will these trends influence aging and disease in modern times?

The 20th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Zooming in on Alzheimer’s Disease and Normal Memory Decline

Scott A. Small, M.D.
Director
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Columbia University Medical Center, New York

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The hippocampus is a brain circuit that is targeted by Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders. It is assumed that clues into the caused of these disorders are encrypted within the circuit. Dr. Small will review how he and his colleagues have used MRI and other technologies to extract these clues. He will review how this insight is leading to new therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer’s disease and for normal age-related decline.

Two CNLM Fellows Honored as AAAS Fellows - image of Marcelo Wood

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of long-term memory processes and drug-seeking behavior

Marcelo Wood, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Neurobiology and Behavior
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - 7:30 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre

How are long-lasting memories made? How are unwanted memories extinguished? Why might you not remember this lecture? Where is the information from our experiences, environment, and even what we eat encoded? What does packaging 6 feet of DNA into a cell have to do with intellectual disability disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorder? New understanding from research in epigenetics sheds light on these questions and more.

The 19th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

The Distracted Mind

Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D.
Founder & Executive Director - Neuroscape
Professor - Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry
University of California, San Francisco

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The treatment of human brain diseases: Insights from the study of Huntington's disease

Dr. Leslie M. Thompson
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Protecting the Brain from Impending Stroke: A Stimulating Account

Dr. Ron D. Frostig
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Available options for immediate treatment of stroke victims are currently limited both in their applicability and effectiveness. In this talk, Dr. Frostig will describe surprising new research which demonstrates that simply administering a mild sensory stimulation to activate the endangered brain area triggers innate brain mechanisms that result in complete self-protection from an impending stroke. The exciting potential for clinical translation towards drug-free and equipment-free stroke treatments, along with advantages and limitations, will be discussed.

Researching Ways to Make Memories Last a Lifetime

Dr. Frank M. LaFerla
Dean
School of Biological Sciences
Chancellor’s Professor
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Ending Alzheimer's Together

Eric M. Reiman, M.D.
Executive Director, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute (BAI)
Chief Executive Officer, Banner Research, Clinical Director of the Neurogenomics
Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Arizona
Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s ConsortiumBanner Alzheimer's Institute and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium

Tuesday, January 18, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Where Did I Put My Keys? Tales from the Hippocampus for Anyone Over 30

Dr. Craig E. L. Stark
Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior
School of Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Rewiring Our Adult Brains: Taking a Birds-Eye View

Dr. Gregory F. Ball
Dean
Behavioral and Social Sciences
University of Maryland

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Is your brain the same in the spring as it is in the fall? If you're a songbird at least, the answer is no. Birdsong is a learned vocalization that functions to attract a mate or repel competitors and that parallels human language in many ways. Songbird species often breed in a highly seasonal manner that results in dramatic changes in brain and behavior. Dr. Ball's research provides insight into how this seasonal remodeling of the brain operates and how these changes lead to seasonal changes in birdsong.

The 16th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

The Scaffolded Mind: How Your Brain Adapts to Aging

Dr. Denise C. Park
Distinguished Professor
Center for Brain Health
University of Texas

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

It is normal to experience subtle changes in memory and other cognitive functions with age. Accompanying these changes is a remarkable process of remodeling and reorganization of neural function that has been revealed through neuroimaging techniques. The brain is continuously responding to the aging process by building new neural circuits or “scaffolds.” Dr. Park will discuss her pioneering research on the changes that occur in the brain with age; the remarkable process of neural adaptation to these changes, and what is known about maintaining a healthy brain.

Helping the Brain to Repair Itself After Injury

Steven C. Cramer, M.D.
Professor
Department of Neurology
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Most patients show some degree of spontaneous recovery after a brain injury such as a stroke, although it is usually incomplete. Recent studies provide insight into the biological mechanisms responsible for this spontaneous recovery. Dr. Cramer, a leading researcher and physician in stroke recovery, will discuss these mechanisms and explore emerging therapies that aim to improve brain repair and thus reduce disability.

Music, Evolution, and the Human Mind

Aniruddh Patel, Ph.D.
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Fellow
Psychology
Tufts University

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Music, like language, is a universal human accomplishment. The recent explosion of research on music and the brain has brought new life to old questions, including ones first raised by Darwin. Why is music so pervasive in human life? Are we musical today because music helped our ancestors survive? Has the human mind been shaped by natural selection for music? Dr. Patel will offer a new perspective on these questions from the standpoint of neuroscience.

The 15th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory speaker, Dr. Michael Davis

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety: Using Drugs to Improve Psychotherapy

Dr. Michael Davis
Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Department of Psychiatry and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience
Emory School of Medicine

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Anxiety disorders - which include conditions such as phobias, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder - are collectively the most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. Dr. Davis will discuss how the understanding of anxiety disorders has been increased by research into the brain systems responsible for acquiring, maintaining and overcoming fearful memories. He will also discuss how this research has led to the development of new directions for the treatment of anxiety disorders, in which psychotherapy is combined with a drug that improves the ability to overcome fearful memories.

The Power of Testing Memory: From the Laboratory to the Classroom

Dr. Henry L. Roediger III
Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Washington University, St. Louis

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Tests in education are usually considered to measure knowledge (in the classroom) or abilities (standardized tests). Dr. Roediger's pioneering research shows that tests do much more than assess what has been learned, because they also change what we know and remember. Successful retrieval, induced by tests, serves as a powerful memory enhancer. Dr. Roediger will discuss laboratory research to make this point and experiments that extend the findings to classroom settings.

Genetic Jeopardy: Lessons Learned from Huntington's Disease

Dr. Nancy S. Wexler
Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology
Columbia University

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Huntington's disease is an inherited, neurodegenerative disorder that attacks movement, mood and mental functions, and is invariably fatal. This devastating disease is caused by an abnormality in a single gene. World-renowned scientist, Dr. Nancy Wexler, will describe the 10-year effort that culminated in the discovery of the gene, and the impact of this discovery on the understanding of Huntington's disease and potential treatments. She will also discuss the importance of this research for the understanding of other neurodegenerative and inherited diseases.

The 14th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Back to the Future: Is Mental Time Travel Unique to Humans?

Nicola S. Clayton, Ph.D.
Professor
University of Cambridge

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 – 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

As humans, we spend much of our time reminiscing about our past and planning for the future. In this lecture, Professor Clayton will discuss why this ability is an important part of our normal daily lives and whether it is unique to humans. Surprisingly, some of the most convincing evidence comes not from our closest relatives, the apes, but from Professor Clayton’s innovative research on the memory abilities of a smart, large-brained bird, the western scrub-jay.

Generating New Brain Cells in the Adult Brain

Dr. Fred H. Gage
Professor
Laboratory of Genetics
The Salk Institute

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 – 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Until recently, dogma was that adults were incapable of growing new nerve cells. However, recent research shows that small populations of immature nerve cells are indeed found in the adult brain, formed by a process called neurogenesis. Dr Gage will discuss his pioneering studies to understand how these immature cells can be induced to become mature, functioning nerve cells, and how they may one day help repair aging and damaged brains and spinal cords.

How to Get Old: Lessons from 90-year-olds

Claudia Kawas, M.D.
Professor
Neurobiology and Behavior
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 – 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Over the past century, advances in public health and medical science extended life expectancy by more than 28 years. People over age 90 are now the fastest growing segment of the population, although little is known about these pioneers of aging. Dr. Kawas will discuss findings from The 90+ Study, one of the largest population-based studies of oldest-old in the world. Based in Leisure World, Laguna Woods, she shares lifestyle and other lessons from individuals in their tenth decade and beyond.

The 13th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Winning the Battle Against Alzheimer Disease: New Discoveries Offer New Hope

Frank M. LaFerla, Ph.D.
Dean
Biological Sciences
UC Irvine

Wednesday, January 17, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Little Brains with Bright Minds: Communication, Navigation and Learning in the Honeybee

Dr. Randolf Menzel
Freie University of Berlin

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Honeybees have tiny brains, but their behavioral repertoire is impressive. They navigate over miles using a geometric reference system of the environment, communicate by ritualized movement (the waggle dance), and learn the many features of their food sources. They also form life-long memories. Dr. Menzel, the world's leading expert on learning in the honeybee, will give us insight into how these little brains accomplish so much, and what this tells us about our own brains.

Schizophrenia: Losing Control over Thoughts, Memories and Emotions

Dr. Deanna Barch
Chair and Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Washington University, St. Louis

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Schizophrenia is an extremely disabling mental illness that causes individuals to lose the normal connections between their thoughts, memories and emotions. Dr. Barch will discuss her innovative research on how the brain normally supports these quintessentially human functions, and the ways in which neurodevelopment problems alter the ability to control thoughts and emotions in individuals with schizophrenia.

The 12th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Autism: Cognitive style not deficit?

Dr. Francesca Happé
Professor
Cognitive Neuroscience
King's College London

Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Watching the brain at work: Imaging the formation and retrieval of memories

Dr. Michael D. Rugg
Professor
Director, Center for Vital Longevity
Distinguished Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
The University of Texas at Dallas

Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The past few years have seen extraordinary progress in methods for detecting and localizing brain activity in healthy, behaving humans. These new imaging methods can be used to study how memories are initially formed and how they are later retrieved. Dr. Rugg will describe brain networks that support these critical memory functions, how these networks change with age, and what this tells us about why memory becomes more fallible as we grow older.

The Monogamous Brain: What Can Science Tell Us About Love?

Dr. Larry Young
Psychiatry
Emory University

Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 7:30 p.m.
Irvine Barclay Theatre

How Children Shape Languages: Language Acquisition and Emergence

Dr. Elissa L. Newport
Professor, Department of Neurology
Director, Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery
Director, Learning and Development Lab
Georgetown University

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Irvine Barclay Theatre

How Could Brain Science Transform our Lives in the 21st Century

Dr. Richard Morris
The University of Edinburgh

Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Brain science has reached a level of maturity where our understanding of how the brain works is poised to have a growing impact on our lives. Drawing on examples from research on memory, Dr. Morris will illustrate where neuroscientists are today, where they think they are going, and how a balance of basic science and needs-driven research will impact education, the development of new medical treatments and brain-style computing.

Remembering Trauma

Dr. Richard J. McNally
Harvard University

Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Irvine Barclay Theatre

What Makes Humans Smart? Lessons from Children

Dr. Elizabeth S. Spelke
Harvard University

Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Although animals easily learn about biologically important events such as finding food and avoiding danger, only humans develop rich abstract knowledge in areas not tied to our biology, from learning how to cook to theorizing about the origins of the universe. Dr. Spelke's studies of how infants and children grasp numerical concepts suggest that human cognitive ability results from two basic features of our minds--a collection of "core" knowledge systems that we share with other animals, and a second more complex system, linked to human language, that is unique to us.

Sleep, Memory and Dreams: What are they good for?

Dr. Robert Stickgold
Harvard Medical School

Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Irvine Barclay Theatre

We spend one-third of our lives in the mysterious state of sleeping and, perchance, dreaming. One of the critical functions of sleep is the "off-line" reprocessing of memories. Sleep researcher Stickgold will explain how this reprocessing can strengthen, integrate, and even analyze previously stored memories. The part that dreams play in all this remains uncertain, but new analyses of dream content provide clues into a phenomenon that is almost universally experienced but little understood.

Remembering Memory and the Brain:
Open Forum Discussion with Faculty Fellows of the CNLM

Dr. James L. McGaugh and Colleagues
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Irvine Barclay Theatre

To celebrate the tenth year of this acclaimed public lecture series, James L. McGaugh, the professor and researcher who has been called "Mr. Memory," returns to the Barclay stage by popular demand. He will share some of the major recent developments in brain and memory research and will then be joined by a panel of faculty fellows from UCI's world-renowned memory research institute for an extended open discussion of questions from the audience.

The 9th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Opiates, Brownies, Sex and Cocaine: Seeking the Brain Signature for Desire

Dr. Anna Rose Childress
University of Pennsylvania

Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Irvine Barclay Theatre

For most of human history, desires that profoundly motivate our behavior have been the focus of poets, philosophers and therapists...but they have been elusive targets for scientists. Dr. Childress will show us how recent advances in brain imaging allow us to "see" into the brain during our most intimate "desire states." Understanding how the brain expresses and modulates desire will aid the development of treatments for the learned disorders of desire: the addictions.

Ah yes, I remember it well...: Remembering, Forgetting and the Movie "Memento"

Dr. Stuart Zola
Emory University

Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Think you remember accurately the details from that party or business meeting several weeks ago? Think again! Did the movie Memento accurately depict someone with memory impairment? We'll find out tonight! Dr. Zola is a leading expert in the neuroscience of memory and how it is organized in the brain. He will discuss recent insights gained from research about memory distortion, memory impairment, and maintaining successful memory function as we age.

How Time Flies: The Molecular Architecture of Memory

Dr. Thomas J. Carew
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Irvine Barclay Theatre

More than a century of experimental research, as well as our own personal experience, tells us that memories can persist from seconds and minutes to a lifetime. Dr. Carew will discuss his intriguing and influential research using Aplysia, a sea animal from the California coast whose unique brain structure allows a close examination of the molecular machinery that creates memories, both fleeting and lasting.

The 8th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Drug Addiction: Why the Brain Loses Control

Dr. Nora Volkow
Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Wednesday, January 30, 2002
Irvine Barclay Theatre

What has happened to the brain of a person who is unable to control the desire to take a drug despite a conscious effort to stop? Eminent psychiatrist and neurobiologist Nora Volkow uses state-of-the-art imaging technologies to probe inside the brains of addicted people. The brain images show dysfunction both in the biochemical circuits involved with reward and in the frontal regions involved with drive and motivation. Some of these changes are a consequence of chronic exposure to drugs, but others may antedate drug use and predispose the subjects to addiction.

Educating the Brain: Lessons from Brain Imaging

Dr. John Gabrieli
Stanford University

Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Modern brain imaging technology allows us for the first time to visualize the changes in brain structure and function that underlie mental abilities such as memory, language and thought. Dr. Gabrieli's breakthrough studies using functional MRI reveal that different kinds of learning are associated with activation of different brain regions. He will explore with us how brain changes mark the growth of mental abilities--such as learning to read--in children.

The Magic of Memory: Peeking Behind the Brain's Curtain

Dr. James L. McGaugh

Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Neurobiology & Behavior
University of California, Irvine

Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Memory seems obvious, yet mystifying. What is memory? How does the brain create and preserve memories? Current research is providing answers to these ancient questions. Dr. McGaugh returns to the Barclay stage to share what researchers are learning about the cooperative and competitive interactions among the many brain systems that play a part in memory. The findings are pulling back the curtain of mystery and revealing the brain's secret systems that make and manage memory.

The 7th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Why Did Episodic Memory Evolve?

Dr. Endel Tulving
Rotman Research Institute
University of Toronto

January 31, 2001
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think

Dr. Marc D. Hauser
Department of Psychology
Harvard University

March 27, 2001
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Dr. Hauser's influential research aims at understanding how the minds of human and non-human animals evolved. By studying monkeys and apes both in the wild and in captivity, as well as human infants, Hauser's work has unlocked some of the mysteries of what organisms without language think. He is the acclaimed author of Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think and is widely recognized as one of the world's leading investigators of animal cognition.

Making Connections: Memory in the Brain and Spinal Cord

Dr. Oswald Steward
Reeve-Irvine Research Center
UC Irvine

May 23, 2001
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The question of how function can be restored after brain or spinal cord injury is the subject of intense research and great public interest. The key lies in understanding nerve cell "memory" -the vital connections that are formed during nervous system development and modified by experience. Dr. Steward, who holds the Reeve-Irvine Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research at UCI, is internationally recognized for his research on the cellular and molecular basis of nerve cell growth.

The 6th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Is Alzheimer's Our Reward for Living Longer?

Dr. Dennis Selkoe
Center for Neurologic Diseases
Harvard Medical School

Tuesday, February 22, 2000
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Life expectancy rose dramatically in the recent century--from 49 to 77 years. But this increase in longevity has come with a price: More of us are now likely to suffer from age-related brain degeneration. Dr. Selkoe will discuss the dramatic progress being made in understanding the causes of Alzheimer's disease and the imminent testing of drugs that may prevent or slow its devastating effects. Co-sponsored by the UCI Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia

Critical Issues in Brain and Memory

Dr. James L. McGaugh
Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
University of California, Irvine

Tuesday, April 4, 2000
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Memory without Remembering and Vision without Seeing

Dr. Larry Weiskrantz
Department of Experimental Psychology
Oxford University

Wednesday, May 24, 2000
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The Myth of Repressed Memory: False Memories and Allegations of Sexual Abuse

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus
Department of Psychology
University of Washington

February 2, 1999
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The question of whether memories can be repressed in childhood and recovered later in life is one of the most hotly debated issues in jurisprudence and psychology. Dr. Loftus will discuss her twenty years of research on false memories and the scientific evidence she has brought into courtrooms as an expert witness. She is one of the country's most influential scientists in this ongoing societal and scientific controversy.

Learning Re-tunes the Brain: Discovering the Brain's Code for Experience

Dr. Norman M. Weinberger
Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and Department of
Neurobiology and Behavior
University of California, Irvine

April 6, 1999
Irvine Barclay Theatre

How the Mind Works

Dr. Steven Pinker
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Director, McDonnell-Pew Center
for Cognitive Neuroscience
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

May 11, 1999
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Can Estrogen Keep You Smart?

Dr. Barbara B. Sherwin
Department of Psychology
McGill University, Montreal

January 28, 1998
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Language, Brain and Mind: Early Experience Alters the Perception of Speech

Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl
Child Development Center
University of Washington

April 1, 1998
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The Aging Brain: Distinguishing Normal and Pathological Memory Loss

Dr. Jelle Jolles
Maastricht Brain and Behavior Institute, Netherlands

May 13, 1998
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Use It or Lose It: Brain Plasticity across the Lifespan

Dr. William T. Greenough
Beckman Institute
University of Illinois

February 3, 1997
Irvine Barclay Theatre

The Secret Life of an Aging Neuron: Successful Brain Aging vs. Alzheimer's Disease

Dr. Carl W. Cotman
Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia
University of California, Irvine

April 9, 1997
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Dr. Cotman is internationally recognized for his studies revealing the basis of the brain degeneration found with aging. Attacks by oxidants and other damaging agents induce brain neurons to commit "cellular suicide." Despite such assault, our brains continually repair neurons and thus attempt to defend against such adversity. Learning the secrets of this restorative process holds the promise of improving the lives of the elderly, including Alzheimer's patients.

New Insights into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Dr. Roger K. Pitman
VA Research Service
Harvard University

May 21, 1997
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Unlocking the Secrets of Memory

Dr. Larry R. Squire
Departments of Psychiatry and Neurosciences
University of California, San Diego

January 31, 1996
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Dr. Squire's research on learning and memory in brain-injured humans and primates has provided important new insights into how the brain works. He is the world's leading scientist studying how the brain forms different kinds of memories -- the learning the names of friends to learning and new skill such as golf. This lecture will help us better understand the mysterious gray matter that makes up the most complex organ in the universe.

Childhood Memories: Here Today, Where Tomorrow?

Dr. Patricia J. Bauer
Institute of Child Development
University of Minnesota

March 13, 1996

Stress and the Brain: Good News and Bad News

Dr. Robert M. Sapolsky
Department of Biological Sciences
Stanford University

June 11, 1996

The Fragile Power of Human Memory

Dr. Daniel Schacter
Harvard University

January 24, 1995
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Learning, Drug Anticipation and Drug Addiction

Dr. Shepard Siegal
McMaster University

March 28, 1995
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Making and Preserving Memories

Dr. James L. McGaugh
University of California, Irvine

May 10, 1995
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Past Lectures

The 27th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

The Beginning of the End for Alzheimer's Disease

The 26th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Conscience: The origins of moral intuition

The 25th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Can we create new senses for humans?

The 24th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Linking Brains to Machines: From Basic Science to Neurorehabilitation

The 23rd Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

What can we learn from the sleeping brain?

The 22nd Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Exercise for the Brain: Is it Worth the Sweat?

The 21st Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Aging and Disease in Modern Times

The 20th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

Zooming in on Alzheimer’s Disease and Normal Memory Decline

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of long-term memory processes and drug-seeking behavior

The 19th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning, and Memory

The Distracted Mind

The treatment of human brain diseases: Insights from the study of Huntington's disease

The 18th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Protecting the Brain from Impending Stroke: A Stimulating Account

Researching Ways to Make Memories Last a Lifetime

The 17th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Ending Alzheimer's Together

Where Did I Put My Keys? Tales from the Hippocampus for Anyone Over 30

Rewiring Our Adult Brains: Taking a Birds-Eye View

The 16th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

The Scaffolded Mind: How Your Brain Adapts to Aging

Helping the Brain to Repair Itself After Injury

Music, Evolution, and the Human Mind

The 15th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety: Using Drugs to Improve Psychotherapy

The Power of Testing Memory: From the Laboratory to the Classroom

Genetic Jeopardy: Lessons Learned from Huntington's Disease

The 14th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Back to the Future: Is Mental Time Travel Unique to Humans?

Generating New Brain Cells in the Adult Brain

How to Get Old: Lessons from 90-year-olds

The 13th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Winning the Battle Against Alzheimer Disease: New Discoveries Offer New Hope

Little Brains with Bright Minds: Communication, Navigation and Learning in the Honeybee

Schizophrenia: Losing Control over Thoughts, Memories and Emotions

The 12th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Autism: Cognitive style not deficit?

Watching the brain at work: Imaging the formation and retrieval of memories

The Monogamous Brain: What Can Science Tell Us About Love?

The 11th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

How Children Shape Languages: Language Acquisition and Emergence

How Could Brain Science Transform our Lives in the 21st Century

Remembering Trauma

The 10th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

What Makes Humans Smart? Lessons from Children

Sleep, Memory and Dreams: What are they good for?

Remembering Memory and the Brain: Open Forum Discussion with Faculty Fellows of the CNLM

The 9th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Opiates, Brownies, Sex and Cocaine: Seeking the Brain Signature for Desire

Ah yes, I remember it well...: Remembering, Forgetting and the Movie "Memento"

How Time Flies: The Molecular Architecture of Memory

The 8th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Drug Addiction: Why the Brain Loses Control

Educating the Brain: Lessons from Brain Imaging

The Magic of Memory: Peeking Behind the Brain's Curtain

The 7th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Why Did Episodic Memory Evolve?

Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think

Making Connections: Memory in the Brain and Spinal Cord

The 6th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Is Alzheimer's Our Reward for Living Longer?

Critical Issues in Brain and Memory

Memory without Remembering and Vision without Seeing

The 5th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

The Myth of Repressed Memory: False Memories and Allegations of Sexual Abuse

Learning Re-tunes the Brain: Discovering the Brain's Code for Experience

How the Mind Works

The 4th Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory

Can Estrogen Keep You Smart?

Language, Brain and Mind: Early Experience Alters the Perception of Speech

Remembering Memory and the Brain:
Open Forum Discussion with Faculty Fellows of the CNLM