Advancing Interdisciplinary Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work for the Public Good
Understanding how neuroscience shapes human experience, and how experience shapes brain function, has profound implications for health, policy, technology, and much more. The Neuroscience & Society initiative addresses how our nervous systems enable human functions including perception, behavior, decision-making, emotion, planning, attention, etc. This topic explores the mechanisms of mental and brain health and how understanding brain function can help us to develop next generation technologies. A unique focus of this initiative is on the “and society,” and will include fundamental questions of what it means to be human: How do we perceive reality? How does our perception of reality affect our experience and decisions, and the lives of those around us? How does experience, including virtual experience, impact our perception of reality and our decision-making?
Building off of the 2023 WFU Strategic Framework, a new university-wide Neuroscience & Society initiative will leverage the university’s unique transdisciplinary expertise in this field to create an ambitious vision for how this initiative will contribute to a better future by creating meaningful collaborations between scientists, scholars across all disciplines, and the communities whose lives may be influenced by their discoveries.
The goal of the Strategic Framework Visioning process is to define that ambitious vision.
Led by the Provost’s Office, this initiative will shape an ambitious vision for the future of this discipline at Wake Forest, ensuring that the University becomes a globally recognized leader in this field and defining the aspirational goals that will make a real, positive and sustainable difference for our students, faculty, and local and global communities for years to come. The process consists of three key phases described below.
Wake Forest’s Neuroscience & Society initiative aims to leverage the University’s interdisciplinary strengths to become a leader in research and innovation that improves lives and informs ethical decision-making.
This visioning process seeks to define a bold and specific vision for Wake Forest’s role in neuroscience and society over the next 10-20 years, ultimately leading to a white paper that outlines short-term and long-term strategic goals, milestones, and metrics for implementation.
A leadership task force is developing a comprehensive framework to define Wake Forest’s aspirations and unique contributions to the field.
The task force has been working to:
- Assess Wake Forest’s current strengths in neuroscience research and its intersections with society.
- Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across disciplines university-wide.
- Articulate the principles that could define a long-term vision that positions Wake Forest as a hub for pioneering work in neuroscience and society that improves lives.
The University community will have the opportunity to engage in discussions, dream about the future, and help define the strategic vision.
In the next phase, the University community will help us to define the vision. A facilitator-led session will provide an overview of the goals, followed by activities designed to encourage aspirational thinking. This session will help participants envision bold, cross-disciplinary opportunities to advance a shared university-wide initiative. Most important, participants will then provide ideas and input to a series of questions that will serve as the basis for Phase 3.
The task force will compile the information from phase 2 to draft a whitepaper articulating our vision, identifying broad areas of focus, setting short- and long-term goals (with milestones and assessment for accountability), and detailing a plan for pursuing funding, partnerships, and academic growth.
- Kim McAllister, Ph.D. (Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry, and Creative Activity; Provost’s Office)
- Ana Iltis, Ph.D. (Professor of Philosophy; Director, Center for Bioethics, Health & Society)
- Anna “Katy” Lack, Ph.D. (Associate Teaching Professor of Biology; Director, Neuroscience Minor)
- Erik Johnson, Ph.D. (Professor and Chair of Biology)
- Wayne Pratt, Ph.D. (Professor of Psychology; Director, URECA Program)
- Christina Soriano, Ph.D. (Professor of Theatre and Dance; Director, Wake the Arts)
- Christine Coughlin, J.D. (Professor of Law)
- Stacie Petter, Ph.D. (Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs; Professor of Information Systems)
- Kevin Jung, Ph.D. (Professor of Theological Ethics and Moral Philosophy)
- Joost Maier, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Translational Neuroscience)
Get Involved
There are three ways to participate. Faculty and staff are especially encouraged to participate in an in-person event on Monday, March 24. The first hour will be a facilitated session, followed by drop-in opportunities. If you cannot attend the facilitated session, you are encouraged to drop in anytime in the available window to provide input on developing the vision.
📅 Community Feedback Session: March 24, 2025 2:00-5:00pm (**please try to join between 2:00-3:00pm for the facilitated session)
📍 Location: Benson 410
Office hours: If you are not available on Monday, March 24 and want to discuss any aspect of the process or provide input on the vision in person, please join Vice Provost Kim McAllister for office hours on Wednesday, March 26 and Friday, March 28 from 9:00-5:00pm. Please sign up by emailing Jen Haggas (haggasji@wfu.edu).
Virtual Feedback Option: We also encourage you to participate using our virtual feedback option. The link will be posted here on the evening of Monday, March 24. You will have the opportunity to answer questions, provide feedback, and share ideas.
Our aspirational vision will be stronger if everyone participates. Please come dream with us!