Neuroscience: Memory, the Brain, and the Making of ExperienceMaster ClassIn-Person
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Columbia University
535 W 116th St
New York, NY 10027
Our partner, Columbia University, is hosting this event.
How do our memories shape the decisions we make? Why do certain experiences linger in the mind while others fade? This master class will present cutting-edge research at the intersection of neuroscience, memory, and behavior. We’ll explore how the brain forms memories, how past experiences influence choices, and how different brain regions—like the hippocampus and striatum—work together to guide learning and action. Drawing on experimental findings, real-world examples, and insights from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, this class will examine how memory is not just about the past, but a dynamic process that helps us predict, plan, and adapt.
PSYCHOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE, BEHAVIORAL STUDIES
Daphna Shohamy
Daphna Shohamy, PhD, is the director of the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and the Kavli Professor of Brain Science at Columbia University. Dr. Shohamy and her lab study the link between memory and decision-making in the human brain. Work in the Shohamy lab combines a wide range of methods, including brain imaging in healthy humans, studies of patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, and computational modeling to understand how the brain transforms experiences into memories, how memories shape decisions and actions, and how motivation affects human behavior.