Project Grant 2338097

(RE)IMAGINING THE BRAIN SCIENCES -THIS AWARD SUPPORTS A CAREER PROJECT THAT ENGAGES IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH. THE PI WILL PROVIDE NEW GUIDELINES TO HELP BETTER ADDRESS BIAS IN NEUROSCIENCE, INCREASE RESEARCH DIVERSITY AND EQUITY, AND STIMULATE GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, NEUROSCIENCES, AND SOCIETY. ONGOING RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH OPEN FORUM ENGAGEMENTS AND TO UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH CLASSROOM-BASED LECTURES TO HELP EDUCATE A WIDER AUDIENCE ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE?S SOCIOLOGICAL BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES. THIS PROJECT HINGES ON ONE OVERARCHING QUERY: WHAT ARE THE CONTEMPORARY RELATIONSHIPS, POSSIBILITIES, AND LIMITATIONS BETWEEN NEUROSCIENCE AND ITS SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT? THE PI WILL EMPLOY A QUALITATIVE SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO EXAMINE EXISTING PARTICIPATORY AGENDAS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES. IT WILL MAP THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OVERLAPPING NEUROSCIENTIFIC SOCIAL WORLDS- FUNDING BODIES, PUBLICATION MECHANISMS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AGENCIES, RESEARCH LABS, AND BIOETHICAL DOMAINS; AND IT WILL ANALYZE THE PERSPECTIVES OF HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED NEUROSCIENCE SCHOLARS (GRADUATE STUDENTS, TRAINEES, AND JUNIOR PROFESSORS) REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH BIAS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES. IN ADDITION, IT WILL PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR NEUROSCIENCE. THE PROJECT CHALLENGES AND ADVANCES EXISTING LITERATURE IN BIOETHICS, SOCIOLOGY, AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES (STS) BY CENTERING THE CURRENT VOICES, PAST EXPERIENCES, AND FUTURE HOPES AND CRITIQUES OF SYSTEMICALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.