Social neuroscience and the question of the neuronal basis of prejudice were the focus of the symposium "THE NEUROSCIENCE OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS" on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the International School of Neuroscience (IGSN). The presentations were given by leading experts in this field. 20 participants took part in the event.

Prof. Dr. David Amodio from the Department of Psychology at the University of Amsterdam opened the symposium with a lecture on the memory systems that support implicit bias. Connected via Zoom, Prof. Dr. Jennifer Kubota from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware then gave a presentation on intergroup bias and its impact on decision-making.
Amodio and Kubota had accepted the invitation of IGSN PhD-students Beyza Bozkurt and Alaleh Sadraee, who organized the symposium as part of their three-year training programme at Ruhr University Bochum.

Ideal experts for a comprehensive overview of the field

"I have always been interested in social neuroscience and have been thinking about getting more involved in this field. The symposium was a great opportunity to invite experts on the subject and have inspiring discussions," says Alaleh Sadraee. And Beyza Bozkurt adds: "David Amodio and Jennifer Kubota are leading experts in social neuroscience. Their pioneering research on social cognition, implicit bias, and neural mechanisms provides cutting-edge perspectives that are invaluable for advancing the field."

The event closed with a coffee talk, which gave all participants the opportunity to discuss the issues in more detail.
The organizers' summary of the symposium was positive. Sadraee: "The most exciting part for me was the time I spent with Beyza and our speaker David Amodio. We discussed extensively about David's professional career and what it means to be a scientist. That gave me valuable insights."

The IGSN symposium was held in collaboration with the Research Department of Neuroscience (RDN), the Research Training Group "GRK 2862: Monoaminergic Neuronal Networks & Diseases (MONDI)" and the Collaborative Research Center "SFB 1280: Extinction Learning".

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NEUROSCIENCE

The International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN) offers an english language PhD program in all aspects of neuroscience from the molecular level to higher cognitive functions.

The IGSN provides PhD-students with a comprehensive and multidisciplinary research training program. A key goal of IGSN is to give PhD students the opportunity to conduct high level research in a nurturing educational environment, that equips them to work in a multidisciplinary manner in the neuroscience field.

A fast-track international PhD in Neuroscience together with additional training in management and complementary skills is aimed to produce a new generation of young neuroscientists that can compete at the highest level, both professionally and internationally.

Text:
Anke Maes

Photo:
bs-matsunaga via Pixabay