Science Policy Archives - Knowing Neurons

By Akshara Sankar Introduction For the vast majority of those who become homeless, a mistake that may have been insignificant for individuals with existing socioeconomic privilege becomes life-altering. One wrong… Read more

Neuropolicy Paper 2025 Science Policy

May 9, 2025 Emma Muller

Midlife Monitoring: Integrating Cognitive Health Screening into Routine Women’s Health Check-Ups

Policy Memo by Emma Victoria Muller Executive Summary: In 1966, less than 60 years ago, a prominent physician named Dr. Robert A Wilson dubbed menopausal women the “crippled castrates” (Wilson,… Read more

A scientist pushes back large books saying education, clinical, policy in front of the white house

Standing Up for Science: A Call to Action from Early-Career Scientists

By Liza Chartampila Knowing Neurons is a science education platform run entirely by graduate students and early-career professionals. We volunteer our time because we believe that effective communication can cultivate… Read more

Science Policy Mental Health Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023

September 12, 2023 Elissavet Chartampila

Mental Health: The Forgotten Casualty of Climate Change Policy

Op-Ed by Elissavet Chartampila Climate change presents a formidable and urgent threat to human health. From the loss of life and illness caused by more frequent and severe extreme weather… Read more

Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

September 12, 2023 Kathleen Carmichael

Revealing Injured Minds: Harnessing Cutting-Edge Neuroimaging for Enhanced Brain Injury Claim Validity

Policy Brief by Kathleen Carmichael Executive summary Advances in neuroscience have the power to inform and improve many aspects of our legal system (Chorvat & McCabe, 2004). In the context… Read more

Science Policy Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Neuroscience Technologies

September 12, 2023 Erin Morrow

The Truth is in Your Eyes: Regulating the Covert Use of Pupil Biofeedback

SECOND PLACE WINNER! Policy Memo by Erin Morrow INTRODUCTION Within the last decade, consumer technologies have become increasingly capable at recording and analyzing physiological data. For instance, smartwatches can now… Read more

Science Policy Aging Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

April 4, 2023 Sarah Wade

FDA Under Scrutiny: A Tale of Two Drugs

By Sarah Wade Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating illness that gradually destroys the brain. This disease affects over 30 million people worldwide (Haque & Levey, 2019) and is the… Read more

Science Policy Sleep

March 16, 2023 Mary Bullock

The Cost of Daylight Savings

By Mary Bullock Spring forward an hour in March or fall back an hour in November… you know the drill. It’s once again that time of year when everyone asks… Read more

Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Science Policy

April 27, 2022 Cecilia Rabayda

Criminalization is an outdated approach to the US addiction crisis

(And why now is the perfect time to change it) The first time I heard the word prohibition was in eighth grade. The 18th amendment banned alcohol in 1918 in… Read more

Science Policy

November 6, 2021 Zoe Guttman

Why are legislators trying to get rid of daylight saving time?

It’s that time of year again when the days are getting shorter and the clocks are moved back. While many of us may consider the biannual time change to be… Read more

Science Policy

October 5, 2021 Yuki Hebner

Why “Saving Women’s Sports” Won’t Help Anyone

A wave of legislation marketed to improve conditions for women athletes conflates transgender participation with the enduring marginalization of women in sport. Ensuring supportive, not mutually exclusive, access to sports… Read more

Brain Development Science Policy

May 24, 2021 Yuki Hebner

Compartmentalizing A Culture War: A Stem Cell Biologist’s Relationship With Abortion Policy

The use of fetal tissue for scientific research has long been at the intersection of political polarization and medical breakthroughs. In 2019, the Trump administration passed restrictions on human fetal… Read more

Science Policy

May 10, 2021 Yuki Hebner

The Wild Wild West of Tear Gas Regulation

Last summer, images of tear gas-laden protestors engulfed the news cycle amidst clashes with local police. When Paula Rogish attended a protest in May of 2020 in front of Austin… Read more

Interviews Science Policy

April 27, 2021 Zoe Guttman

How Can a Neuroscientist Work in Policy?

For the first time in U.S. history, the science advisor to the president has been elevated to a cabinet-level position. While this move was perhaps precipitated by the scientific nature… Read more

Big Ideas Did You Know?Science Policy

October 31, 2020 Zoe Guttman

Evidence-Based Solutions to the Mass Incarceration Crisis: Neuroscience and Cash Bail

Mass incarceration is a public health crisis with particular relevance to the neuroscience community. Much of our work as neuroscientists revolves around the criminal justice system, including mental illness, adolescent… Read more

Science Policy Big Ideas Sensation and Perception

September 6, 2017 Ellen Wann

Risky Business, or Is It?

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]iologist Marston Bates once described research as “the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind.” Bates was referring to the inherent uncertainty in predicting and managing… Read more

Did You Know?Neuro News Science Policy

September 25, 2015 knowingneurons

Science Advocacy on Capitol Hill: Bridging the Legislative Gap to Medical Research Funding

Last Thursday, September 17th I had the privilege of joining over 300 organizations including patients, physicians and fellow researchers in the Rally for Medical Research on Capitol Hill. Now in… Read more