SfN-Sponsored Socials
All SfN-Sponsored Socials will be held at Westin Downtown D.C. (formerly the Renaissance Downtown D.C.). These events are open to all registered annual meeting attendees.
Black In Neuro Social
Chair: Thiago ArzuaLocation: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - River Birch
Westin (formerly Renaissance - 999 9th St.) - River Birch Blrm. Neuroscientists are invited to mingle and network with the Black In Neuro Community! This social will include a presentation of exciting Black In Neuro updates and a facilitated session for community members to share and celebrate their accomplishments over the past year. Check out BlackInNeuro.com or follow @BlackInNeuro on Twitter and Instagram for more information.
Bridging the Synapse Social
Chair: Megan WilliamsCo-Chairs: Julie Lefebvre
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 16
Guests: Richard Huganir, Katherine Smith, Timothy Mosca, Melanie Samuel, Jinhyun Kim, Tabrez Siddiqui, Cagla Eroglu, Matthew Dalva
Westin (formerly Renaissance - 999 9th St.) - Room 16. Let's stick together! This social will bring together scientists of all levels interested in understanding how trans-synaptic signaling promotes synapse formation, maturation, and function. This purely social event will include a mix and match ice breaker to ensure all attendees expand their connections. All are welcome.
Cajal Club for Neuroscience Social
Chair: Leah KrubitzerCo-Chairs: Paola Arlotta
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14
Guests: Alain Chedotal
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14. This event celebrates the namesake of this club, Santiago Ramon y Cajal. The social will host Alain Chedotal, who utilizes tissue clearing methods to study the 3D organization of vertebrate embryos to uncover principles of nervous system development and evolution. Expect a lively discussion following this talk regarding the use of these methods to appreciate fine details of neural circuits in vertebrates.
Craniofacial Neuroscience Social
Chair: Limor Avivi-ArberCo-Chairs: Teresa Lever
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 4
Guests: Teresa Lever, Zhigang He, Barry Sessle, Satoko Koganemaru, Teresa Pitts, Kazutaka Takahashi, Limor Avivi-Arber, Takafumi Yanagisawa, Alyssa Huff
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 4. Come exercise your masticatory skills and experience your taste buds while socializing with a diverse group of neuroscientists from across the globe. Hear a keynote presentation highlighting the future of craniofacial neuroscience research on vital craniofacial functions including feeding, speaking, breathing, facial expressions, somatosensation, pain, and chemoreception. This social will facilitate networking and establishing collaborations among younger and established scientists interested in underrepresented craniofacial neuroscience research topics.
Dignity Neuroscience Social
Chair: Tara WhiteLocation: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 5
Guests: James R. May, Andrew Clark, Bob Prior, Susan D. Carle, Douglas Bond
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 5. This social will connect individuals in the SfN community interested in dignity neuroscience, an emerging field connecting neuroscience and human rights. Topic domains include the five elemental types of universal human rights: 1) agency, autonomy and self-determination; 2) freedom from want; 3) freedom from fear; 4) uniqueness; and 5) unconditionality, including protections for vulnerable populations. Interested individuals at all levels of training are encouraged to attend!
Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) Social
Chair: Erin RhinehartCo-Chairs: Yuanyuan Kang
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm B
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm B. Come to socialize and exchange ideas with those interested in best practices in undergraduate neuroscience research and education. Although this will be a primarily social event, there will be a brief program with award presentations, followed by ample time to network and socialize with colleagues and friends.
Neuroethology Social
Chair: Wolfgang SteinCo-Chairs: Margaret DeMaegd
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3
Guests: Angie Salles
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3. With brief presentations, this social will celebrate neuroethology and the role the nervous system plays in producing natural behaviors. All members of the neuroscience community are welcome, in particular those who work on the neural basis of behavior. This social provides an opportunity to discuss new and interesting concepts, make new connections, and a way to meet friends and colleagues. Postdoctoral fellows and students are particularly encouraged to drop in for socializing and networking.
Open-Source Technology Social
Chair: Talmo PereiraCo-Chairs: Cecilia Herbert
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 8/9
Guests: Jakob Voigts, Denise Cai, Alexxai Kravitz, Brad Voytek, Cecilia Herbert, Mark Laubach, Daniel Aharoni
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) -
Rooms 8/9. Socialize and exchange ideas with researchers developing and using open-source tools for neuroscience research. Chat with the people behind the projects and learn about the wide variety of open-source tools that can help your experiments be more robust, reliable, and creative. Attend for an evening of fun and find a new collaborator for your open-source project!
Spinal Cord Injury and Repair Social
Chair: Mariajose MetcalfeCo-Chairs: Michael Lane, Lyandysha Zholudeva
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm C
Guests: Lyn Jakeman, Zhigang He, Victoria Abraira, Binhai Zheng, Linda Bambrick
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm C. This social will provide a space for researchers and clinicians in the spinal cord injury field to network with one another, catch up, and find new collaborators. This will also be a great opportunity to share careers opportunities and to grow your professional network. Trainees, early career researchers, and newcomers to the spinal cord injury (SCI) field are especially welcome to participate. This casual event will foster interdisciplinary exchange of ideas from current and future leaders in the field of SCI.
The Blue Spot Special: A Locus Coeruleus Social
Chair: Daniel ChandlerCo-Chairs: Rita Valentino
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2
Guests: Barry Waterhouse, Rita Valentino, Sebastien Bouret, Susan Sara
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2. The study of the locus coeruleus is attracting new attention as a result of recently developed tools and technologies reveal novel characteristics and functions. This social is organized to encourage networking among those new to the field and those experienced in studying this nucleus and its anatomy, physiology, and behavioral functions. There will be opportunities for networking, stimulating new collaborations, and competing in a locus coeruleus trivia game.
Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Social
Chair: Margaret McCarthyLocation: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm B
Guests: Kathryn Lenz
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm B. This long-standing and highly popular social brings together members of SfN with an interest in the endocrine regulation of brain and behavior. Research covers a broad range of topics including development, sex-differences, neural networks and systems, neuroplasticity, and clinical neuroscience. It attracts a diverse set of attendees at all career stages. This is an opportunity for this group to convene at the SfN meeting and celebrate the announcement of several awards in behavioral neuroendocrinology
Decision Neuroscience Social
Chair: Joseph KableCo-Chairs: Anna Konova
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 8/9
Guests: Daphna Shohamy, Michael Shadlen, Paul Glimcher
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 8/9. The decision neuroscience social brings together all those studying human and animal decision-making in a purely social event. It provides an opportunity for scientists working at theoretical and empirical levels to share insights and to reunite with colleagues.
Down Syndrome and Related Disorders Social
Chair: Randall RoperCo-Chairs: Alberto Costa
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3
Guests: Emily Schworer, Laura Hawley, Victoria Fleming, Marta Perez-Gonzalez
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3. Recent advances in research in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and models of DS has shown a need for more interaction between clinical and preclinical scientists who study Trisomy 21 and related neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. This social will briefly review the latest clinical and preclinical research associated with DS, feature new work from early career scientists, and facilitate important conversations and networking for clinical and preclinical scientists studying DS.
Global Neuroscience Social
Chair: Joshua JohansenLocation: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2
Guests: Kei Igarashi, Yuki Goda, Jayeeta Basu, Sheena Josselyn, Megan Carey, Thomas McHugh, Haruhiko Bito
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2. Different countries have different ways of doing science. Pursuing science in other countries enriches our personal and intellectual lives and offers unique career perspectives. Since 2018, the global neuroscience social has promoted interactions between neuroscientists from around the world. At this year's social, Kaori Takehara-Nishiuchi and Jason Shepherd will give short, informal presentations to share their experiences in running labs outside their home countries and discuss keys to success. Twitter: @GlobalNeurosci1
Ingestive Behavior Social
Chair: Carrie FerrarioCo-Chairs: Scott Kanoski
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 16
Guests: Alex DiFeliceantonio, Patricia (Sue) Grigson-Kennedy, Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz, Mitch Roitman, Gina Leinninger, James McCutcheon, Susanne la Fleur, Stephanie Borgland, Scott Kanoski
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 16. All are welcome to come eat, drink, and be merry at the ingestive behavior social where we will talk about neuroscience related to the control of eating and drinking. People of all career stages are encouraged to attend. This social will provide a forum for those interested in the neurobiology of ingestive behavior to network, forge new collaborations, learn about this area of research, or just share a favorite story in a relaxing and friendly environment.
Marmoset Social
Chair: Lauri NurminenCo-Chairs: Nicholas Price
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 10/11
Guests: Afonso Silva, Reza Shadmehr, Alessandra Angelucci
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 10/11. The adoption of the marmoset as an animal model in neuroscience has created a demand to facilitate collaboration and information exchange. In this social, the participants will play Marmoset Jeopardy. Trainees will submit images of their data and the participants will try to identify from which lab the images came. This format is a light way to showcase data and experimental methods. Later the floor will be open for questions to experts, announcements, and socialization.
Neuron-Glia Interactions Social
Chair: Beth StevensCo-Chairs: Shane Liddelow, Bruce Ransom
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - River Birch
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - River Birch. This social will again provide the opportunity for all who are interested in neuron-glia interactions, as well as neuroimmunology more broadly, to get together and consider the major scientific challenges in this field. This is an opportunity for glial researchers, investigators new to the field, and trainees to get to know each other and to meet leaders in the field.
Neuroscience at Latin American and Hispanic Serving Institutions Social
Chair: Diego Rolando Hernández EspinosaCo-Chairs: Elba Serrano
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14
Guests: Fidel Santamaria, Ellen Carpenter, Francisco Fernandez de Miguel, Shawn Bates, Thais Rafael Guimaraes, Carmen Maldonado-Vlaar, Cynthia Navarro Mabarak, John Ngai, Laura E. Baquedano Santana
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14. This social welcomes attendees from all career levels to connect with members of the Latin American and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) neuroscience communities. A brief discussion on funding initiatives and career paths for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students across the region will be followed by an icebreaker and informal networking. All who seek to establish friendships and collaborations with colleagues at HSIs and Latin America are invited to join.
Pain, Touch, and Itch Social
Chair: Cheryl StuckyCo-Chairs: Michael Gold
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm A
Guests: Inna Belfer, Jacob Coverstone, Micahel Oshinksy, DP Mohapatra
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rock Creek Blrm A. This social is intended to connect researchers working in somatosensation areas including pain, touch, and itch, and welcomes anyone with potential interest in collaborating in these areas. Trainees are particularly encouraged to attend to network with colleagues at all levels, learn about opportunities, and develop collaborations. Discussions will be informal and relaxed.
Evolutionary Neuroscience Social
Chair: Katherine BryantCo-Chairs: Chet Sherwood
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 16
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 16. The evolutionary neuroscience social will bring together neuroscientists from different sub-disciplines — anatomists, physiologists, geneticists, cellular biologists, and others — who have one thing in common: their research questions are informed by evolutionary approaches. The evolutionary neuroscience community is often partitioned by methodology or species of interest; this social will give attendees a chance to network and hopefully lay foundations for future collaborations.
Neuroanatomy from Mice to Humans Social
Chair: Gulgun SengulCo-Chairs: Cristian Stefan
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2
Guests: George Paxinos, Reha Erzurumlu, Sten Grillner
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 2. Are you a neuroanatomist or a neuroscientist working in the field of neuroanatomy? Then join this social gathering to interact with each other and mentors on a group and individual basis. It will be a great opportunity for networking/sharing experiences in research and teaching, exchange ideas, build new collaborations, or just socialize.
Official Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus (PVT) Social
Chair: Jessica BarsonCo-Chairs: Seema Bhatnagar
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3
Guests: Mario Penzo, Tallie Baram, Gilbert Kirouac, Rajani Maiya, Jennifer Rinker, Remi Martin-Fardon, Fabricio Do Monte, James Otis, Shelly Flagel
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 3. The PVT is the place to be! The crucial role of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in brain function, including in circadian rhythm, sleep, fear and stress behavior, memory and learning, and especially affective and motivated behaviors including drug seeking have been topics of increasing emphasis in neuroscience. This social will bring together neuroscientists from across disciplines and career stages to share their enthusiasm for the PVT.
Psychopharmacology Social
Chair: Jill McGaughyCo-Chairs: Stan Floresco
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - River Birch
Guests: Jessica Loweth, Erin Calipari, Lisa Monteggia, Yogita Chudasama, Yavin Shaham, Andrew Holmes, Timothy Bussey, Lisa Saskida
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - River Birch. This social will bring together experts in mind-altering substances. Your hosts will facilitate meeting others in the field, relaxing after a long day of Neuroscience 2023 with your favorite beverage, and strongly encourage dancing to a psychopharmacology-inspired playlist. Participate in the psychopharmacology discussions to build your knowledge and your network. All are welcome!
Social for Diversity in STEM Research Social
Chair: Stefano CataldiCo-Chairs: Danny Florez-Paz
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 4
Guests: Vilas Menon, Angela Radulescu
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Room 4. Community building is a key first step to support women and LGBTQ+ people in STEM. Sharing individual experiences, this event will help to promote safe working environments in research institutions. Attendees will discuss how to improve working conditions related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility! In addition, there will be a brief panel presentation that will delve into the government grant application process and opportunities for minorities.
Social Neuroscience Social
Chair: Steve ChangCo-Chairs: Ziv Williams, Nancy Padilla-Coreano
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 10/11
Guests: Katalin Gothard, Zoe Donaldson, Hailan Hu, Malavika Murugan, Moriel Zelikowsky, Andrew Breeden, Erie Boorman, Hirofumi Morishita
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 10/11. There has been an increase in research interest in studying the neural bases of social cognition. In this multi-disciplinary event, investigators studying neural mechanisms of social behaviors in different species (humans, nonhuman primates, rodents, other species) and at different levels (areas, circuits, cell types) will get together to discuss how their work informs one another. A brief panel-based discussion session will be followed by interactions among researchers.
The Confound Hour: Let's Make Some Noise! Social
Chair: Megan HagenauerLocation: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14
Guests: Konrad Kording, Kristin Bigos
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 12/13/14. Did you have an experiment that tanked this year? Now is your time to shine! At this social, attendees will share their most beautiful confounds, artifacts, lab accidents, and disastrous mistakes. Come share tales of scientific woe to raucous cheers! The best stories will be awarded with drink tickets. Attendees will also play games that celebrate heroic (sometimes mortifying) troubleshooting efforts, culminating in the coronation of a winner of the 2023 “Stuck To It” Golden Duct Tape Award.
Yes and...: Engaging the Public in Neuroscience Through Improv Theater Social
Chair: Robert DuncanCo-Chairs: Kate Giffin, Alika Sulaman
Location: Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 8/9
Guests: Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez, Joanna Spencer-Segal
Westin (formerly Renaissance – 999 9th St.) - Rooms 8/9. What do improv comedians and scientists have in common? More than you would think! In this social, attendees will have fun getting to know their fellow scientists through improv games — and bolster their communication skills at the same time. The social will introduce improv concepts, then relish in the levity. Come play with friends and colleagues using simple, interactive games accessible to new improvers and veterans alike. Or sit back, watch, and laugh along.
