Brain, Mind & Consciousness
What are the origins and mechanisms of consciousness?
The quality of our consciousness is what sets us apart from other species, and seems to be one of the defining traits of being human. Yet the nature of consciousness remains a mystery. The Brain, Mind & Consciousness program grapples with the fundamental underpinnings of consciousness, and relates the findings to biology on the one hand and to philosophical questions on the other.
Technological advances in medical imaging make it possible to see the brain in action. The new technology for the first time gives an opportunity to scholars from fields as different as genetics, cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and philosophy of mind to come together and work to understand consciousness. By creating the opportunity for deep collaborations, the CIFAR program will allow fellows to solve one of the most profound questions about human nature.
The Brain, Mind & Consciousness program is developing a framework to help fellows from across disciplines understand how our brains give rise to consciousness and our unique perspective on the world around us.
Path to Societal Impact
We invite experts in industry, civil society, healthcare and government to join fellows in our Brain, Mind & Consciousness program for in-depth, cross-sectoral conversations that drive change and innovation.
Leaders in extended reality (XR, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) and CIFAR fellows in the Brain, Mind & Consciousness program are developing more immersive XR experiences, while deepening the understanding of how our minds perceive reality.
Areas of focus:
- Understanding what makes an experience immersive
- Developing immersive extended realities
- Using XR as a tool to study the brain and body
Founded
2014
Renewal Dates
2020
Partners
Brain Canada Foundation through the Canada Brain Research Fund, Anonymous partner
Supporters
Canada Life, Michael & Sonja Koerner, The Lawrence & Judith Tanenbaum Family Foundation, Templeton World Charity Foundation, Inc.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Neuroscience, including cognitive neuroscience
Biological and cognitive psychology
Computer science, including artificial intelligence
Genetics
Philosophy, including ethics
Law
CIFAR Contact
Fellows & Advisors
Program Directors
Adrian M. Owen
Program Co-Director
Koerner Fellow
Anil K. Seth
Program Co-Director
Fellows
Tim Bayne
Fellow
Axel Cleeremans
Fellow
Melvyn Goodale
Fellow
Atsushi Iriki
Fellow
Robert Kentridge
Fellow
Rafael Malach
Tanenbaum Fellow
Marcello Massimini
Fellow
Jason B. Mattingley
Fellow
Liad Mudrik
Tanenbaum Fellow
Adrian M. Owen
Program Co-Director
Koerner Fellow
Aniruddh Patel
Fellow
Isabelle Peretz
Associate Fellow
Lisa M. Saksida
Fellow
Catherine Tallon-Baudry
Fellow
Laurel Trainor
Fellow
Nicholas Turk-Browne
Fellow
Sandra Waxman
Associate Fellow
Robert Zatorre
Fellow
Advisors
Nancy Kanwisher
Advisory Committee Chair
Stanislas Dehaene
Advisor
INSERM-CEA Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit
Daniel Dennett
Advisor
David K. Menon
Advisor
Janet Werker
Advisor
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
Sahba Nomvula Besharati
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Craig Chapman
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018
Michael Cohen
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Katherine McAuliffe
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2017-2019
Megan Peters
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Adeel Razi
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023
Joshua Shepherd
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
University of Barcelona
Lucina Q. Uddin
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2018-2020
Filip Van Opstal
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2019-2021
Yaniv Ziv
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2018-2020
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Support Us
CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.