I have been invited to present at the Royal Society of NSW and Learned Academies Forum at Government House, Sydney on 02 November 2023. The theme for the day is Our 21st Century Brain.
I have been invited to speak on the topic of The Developing Mind along with the following esteemed researchers:
- Professor Anne Castles FRSN FASSA (Macquarie University)
- Professor Adam Guastella (The University of Sydney)
- Associate Professor Kate Highfield (University of Canberra)
The session will be moderated by Professor Penny Van Bergen (University of Wollongong) and we had a briefing session today.
Here is the announcement about the event:
The brain is our most complex organ. It underpins our basic instincts and needs and our behavioural responses to the world around us. Our brain mediates the compassion, reason and imagination that are reflected in great works of the arts and sciences. Yet our brain is also the source of distress, dysfunction and malice. Despite centuries of recurring impacts of tribalism, racism, dehumanisation and exclusion of ‘outsiders’, we continue to inflict suffering on others.
At the same time, the 21st century brings new challenges that extend well beyond immediate threats to very complex societal challenges such as global security, climate change, massive demographic shifts, resource management, information overload, artificial intelligence. Have we reached the edge of our human capacity to respond effectively as either individuals or collective groups?
The context and demands on our brains have been transformed by the very tools we have created, including new information technology platforms, and rapidly developing and deployed forms of artificial intelligence. Diseases of the brain are increasingly prevalent for our ageing population, as are the increasing mental health challenges evident across the lifespan.
Considerable progress across the sciences and humanities has deepened our understanding of genetic, environmental and social factors that underpin brain development and function, yet the rising demands on our capacity to respond appropriately to globalised threats bring an urgent need for novel, just and sustainable solutions.
This year’s Royal Society of New South Wales and Learned Academies Forum focusses on recent progress in unravelling the workings of the brain and opportunities to use our emerging understanding to promote human wellbeing well beyond the 21st Century.
The Forum is held under the auspices of Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales. The Royal Society of New South Wales acknowledge the generous support by Her Excellency, the Academies, the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and Haus Holdings.
