Richie Davidson Is Coming To Stanford

Richie Davidson Is Coming To Stanford

Dr. Richie Davidson is one of the most successful and brilliant researchers in the field of neuroscience of meditation.

He is especially interested in how meditation affects our brains.

Dr. Richie Davidson | Image from event flyer

He has spent much time with the Dalai Lamadiscussing his research and taking the Dalai Lama’s ideas for research into practice.

He has been a featured presenter at many of the Dalai Lama’s Mind and Life conferences.

Richie Davidson Is Coming To Stanford

Topic: The Emergence of Contemplative Neuroscience
Category: Meng-Wu Lecture Series
Event date: Tuesday, October 02nd, 2012 – 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Cubberley Auditorium, School of Education
485 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305

This talk will present an overview of the convergence of scientific and extra-scientific factors that have permitted the emergence of a new hybrid discipline—contemplative neuroscience. Included among these factors are developments in our understanding of neuroplasticity and epigenetics, the development of modern methods for interrogating human brain function, the publications of basic research on meditation in top-tier mainstream scientific journals, the active involvement of the Dalai Lama and the Mind & Life Institute in the promotion of this work, and the presence of several high profile research centers focused on this work at major research universities in the U.S. and abroad. The talk will summarize some of the key findings that have emerged and will showcase future challenges, both methodological and conceptual, that must be faced as this work matures.

Richard J. Davidson is the William James and Vilas Research Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior and the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience, and Founder and Chair and the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Psychology and has been at Wisconsin since 1984.

The event is being sponsored by CCARE: The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.

According to the CCARE web site,

The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) is striving to create a community of scholars and researchers, including neuroscientists, psychologists, educators and philosophical and contemplative thinkers around the study of compassion. Drawing from such varied disciplines – from etiological approaches that examine the evolutionary roots of compassion to skills training programs for strengthening compassion to neuroscientific studies of the brain mechanisms that support compassion as well as the ‘warm glow’ feelings that reinforce helping others, CCARE is working to gain a deep understanding of compassion and its associated human behaviors in all its richness. .

When Sylvia Boorstein invited Dr. Davidson to chat with her on a conference call on August 15, 2012, I was delighted to be present. The call rekindled my interest in meeting him and now I may have a chance to do so.I felt fortunate to attend a prior lecture at CCARE. It was about two years ago when Paul Eckman was the speaker.

Paul Eckman is famous for his research on facial expressions of emotions. He is also a frequent presenter at the Mind and Life conferences.

If you know anyone who loves the neuroscience of meditation, please share this announcement with them. Be sure to encourage them to register for the event because seating is very limited.