Talking Science is a two-day event consisting of a public keynote lecture, 1-on-1 meetings, and roundtable discussions organized by PhD students. We aim to provide a platform for Masters, PhD students and postdocs to interact with distinguished researchers in an approachable, friendly setting. During this year's event, students will have the chance to engage in informal discussions with Prof. Anne Churchland (Professor of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA).

Anne Churchland's research investigates how the brain transforms sensory information into decisions and actions. Her laboratory combines sophisticated behavioral paradigms with large-scale neural recordings, optogenetics, and computational modeling to examine how populations of neurons across cortical and subcortical circuits represent sensory evidence, internal states, and motor plans to support flexible behavior.

Her work has provided fundamental insights into the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision-making, demonstrating how the brain flexibly integrates multiple sources of information before committing to an action. She has also advanced our understanding of distributed neural representations, showing that individual neurons can contribute to multiple cognitive processes depending on task demands and sensory context, highlighting the flexible and dynamic nature of neural coding.

Beyond her scientific discoveries, Churchland has made significant contributions to the neuroscience community. She is a founding member of the International Brain Laboratory, a global collaboration dedicated to developing standardized approaches for investigating brain-wide neural computations. She has also been a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in neuroscience through initiatives such as Anne’s List, a directory created to increase the visibility of women in systems and computational neuroscience.

In this year’s Talking Science program, participants will be able to meet Prof. Churchland in small groups, join roundtable discussions on career choices and scientific trajectories, and attend her keynote lecture. The event provides a unique opportunity to engage with a leading figure in neuroscience.

Please sign up for events here! Places are limited, so secure your spot early!

Thursday 29 October

9.00 - 10.30 - GSN seminar room (D00.003), LMU Biocenter Martinsried

Roundable Discussion
A group discussion focusing on Prof. Churchland's career and her advice for young researchers today.

11.00 - 12.30 - GSN seminar room (D00.003), LMU Biocenter Martinsried

Roundable Discussion
A group discussion focusing on Prof. Churchland's scientific contributions and insights.

12.30 - 13.30

Lunch with students and postdocs
An informal lunch with Prof. Churchland and students and postdocs.

14.00 - 15.30 - D.01.018, LMU Biocenter Martinsried

1-on-1 student meetings
Personal meetings with Prof. Churchland to discuss your own research and ideas (20-minute slots). Please sign up early, as places are limited.

17.00 - 18.30 - Large lecture hall (B00.019), LMU Biocenter Martinsried

Julius Bernstein Keynote Lecture - Movements, decisions and large scale neural activity
A public lecture open to the broader scientific community.

19.00 - Martinsried

Dinner with students
A social dinner to round off the visit.

Friday 30 October

9.00 - 10.30 - GSN seminar room (D00.003), LMU Biocenter Martinsried

Open Discussion forum
Ideas across borders: international scientific collaboration

11.00 - 12.30 - GSN seminar room (D00.003), LMU Biocenter Martinsried

1-on-1 student meetings
Personal meetings with Prof. Churchland to discuss your own research and ideas.

12.30 - 13.30 - Martinsried

Lunch with students and postdocs
An informal lunch with Prof. Churchland and students and postdocs.

14.00 - 17.00 - D.01.018, LMU Biocenter Martinsried

1-on-1 student meetings
Additional personal meeting slots.

2025

György Buzsáki (NYU School of Medicine)

2024

Eve Marder (Brandeis University)

2022

Peter Dayan (Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics)

2021

Ilana Witten (Princeton University)

2019

Adrienne Fairhall (U Washington)

2018

Matteo Carandini (UCL)

2017

Christof Koch (Allen Institute for Brain Science) - cancelled

2016

Gina Turrigiano (Brandeis University)

2015

Gilles Laurent (MPI for Brain Research)

2014

Ed Boyden (MIT)

2013

Larry Abbott (Columbia University)

2012

Nikos Logothetis (MPI for Biological Cybernetics)

2011

May-Britt Moser (Kavli Institute of Systems Neuroscience)

2010

Karel Svoboda (Janelia Research Campus)

2009

Markus Meister (Caltech)

Talking Science is made possible through the generous support of the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Munich and organized by:

• Carlos Gomez-Guzman (MPI for Biological Intelligence)
• Divyansh Gupta (TUM)
• Jonathan Gant (LMU)