Expanding Neuroethics in Argentina
A.F., Case Western Reserve University
June-August 2010
Goals: The overall goal of the project is to increase awareness in Argentine society of the legal, social and ethical issues involved in neuroscience and related fields. Currently in Argentina and greater Latin America, there is very limited information available on the subject and a considerable lack of public awareness of neuroethical issues relevant to society. The project has three main areas of work, bringing together an interdisciplinary team to collaborate on each area, with individuals bringing their specific expertise. The first area is the creation of the first informational campaign on neuroethics in Argentina, with the idea of later expanding to other areas of Latin America. The second area is the development of a comprehensive neuroethics website that will serve as an important resource for educating the public on these issues. This will be the first Spanish language website of its kind in Latin America and will contain a variety of resources and information. Finally, to further highlight neuroethical issues and their relevance to society, the team will help organize the first international neuroethics course in Latin America. The course will be a collaboration between Fundación Crimson of Argentina and Uppsala University of Sweden. World-renowned neuroscientist Jean Pierre Changeux will be the guest of honor, which will bring together an international network of professionals interested in neuroscience. The course will consist of a week of intensive lectures and discussion sessions. In addition, a highly publicized full day seminar open to the public will feature lectures that raise the most salient issues in neuroethics.
Activities: In the advertising campaign, the team will disseminate information through a range of media such as newspapers, television, and the internet to educate the public as well as specifically targeting hospitals, medical societies, and patient advocacy groups. This will be an interesting opportunity to experience various forms of communication in Argentina and to develop language skills in a real world context. For the website, the team will research up to date and relevant information and present it in a manner that is accessible to the general public. The creation of this website will be a great opportunity to exercise and increase knowledge on cognitive science and neuroethics, as well as utilizing and fine-tuning Spanish language skills. The neuroethics course will be a highlight in the campaign to create awareness in Argentina and a way to introduce the website as a useful resource. In addition, it will serve as a starting point for further discussions and collaborations among professionals interested in neuroethics.
Results: This project is an ideal experiential and educational opportunity, and through work as part of this team, I will gain valuable work experience in Spanish while making significant contributions with my background in neuroscience. I will publish a blog during my experience as well as promote the website and course in the Case community upon my return. Further, I plan to host a presentation and forum through the Cognitive Science and Spanish departments to demonstrate the results of the internship project.
Relevant information:
http://www.neuroethicssociety.org
http://www.case.edu/artsci/cogs/
http://www.case.edu/artsci/dmll/spanish.html
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