The CNLM Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory
Emily Jacobs, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences
University of California, Santa Barbara
January 28th, 2026
7:30 - 8:30 PM
Event Description
Women’s health and its effects on the brain had been understudied and underfunded for decades.
On January 28, 2026, the UC Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory hosted the Distinguished Lecture on Brain, Learning, and Memory, presented by Dr. Emily G. Jacobs. In her lecture, titled “New Frontiers in Women’s Brain Health,” Dr. Jacobs explored the longstanding gaps in knowledge regarding how women’s health influences the brain, and the pioneering research that was then advancing the field.
In this program, participants discovered:
The historical context of why women’s health had been underfunded and overlooked.
The role of hormones in shaping learning, memory, and brain organization across the lifespan.
The impact of new research, funding, and policy efforts that were driving progress in women’s brain health.
Attendees joined this important discussion to examine how women's brain health held the power to redefine the future of science, medicine, and society.
About Emily G. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Dr. Emily Jacobs was named one of the “Top 10 Scientists” to watch around the globe by Science News. Dr Jacobs is a professor of psychological and brain science at UC Santa Barbara, and serves as the director of the Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative. Her research explores the structural and functional changes in the brain that occur in response to changing hormonal conditions. In 2024, her team published the first detailed map of the human brain across pregnancy, and Dr. Jacobs leads multi-center study of neurological changes across the transition to menopause.
Dr. Jacobs received her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Smith College and her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to UCSB, she held a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Medicine/Division of Women's Health at Brigham & Women's Hospital. Dr. Jacobs' serves on the Steering Committee of the Women’s Brain Health Coalition, the Milken Institute's Women’s Health Network, 51 Foundation, and the WHAM Research Collaborative to drive the national and international agenda on women’s health research. Dr. Jacobs was named a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Health and Society” Scholar, a National Institutes of Health Women's Health Fellow, and a National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science Fellow for "distinguished young scientists under 45" in recognition of her body of work. In addition to research, Dr. Jacobs and her team partner with K-12 groups to advance girls' representation in STEM. Her work is featured in The New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American, NPR, BBC, TED, Netflix, and MasterClass.
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.
About the Venue
The CNLM Distinguished Lectures on Brain, Learning, and Memory are held at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and are FREE and OPEN to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served for those who have registered. Registering online does NOT guarantee a seat. Please plan to arrive early. Doors to the lobby open at 6:30PM. Doors to the theatre open at 7:00PM. Parking is available for $10 in the lot adjacent to the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Please click here for directions.
There will be fun booths with raffles, brain games, giveaways and even a real human brain that you can hold in the lobby!