Event Date
SARA GOERING, PHD
Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy
University of Washington, Seattle
This is an in-person event. A registration link will be added soon.
Host: Mark Fedyk, PhD, mfedyk@health.ucdavis.edu
Abstract
Participants in long term implantable brain-computer interface studies undergo surgery for the sake of science, and commit to (often) years of intensive study sessions to help develop, assess, and advance the neurotechnology. These “BRAIN pioneers” are in a relatively unique position in research, being far more active, involved, and committed than most participants in Phase I or II clinical studies or participants in long-term cohort studies, and unlikely to be clinically benefited through their participation. In this talk, I explore how we might better understand and support the role of BRAIN pioneers in BCI research, by reporting on qualitative interviews with research participants, their study partners, and BCI researchers about the kinds of support that help studies run successfully.
Bio
Sara Goering is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Washington, Seattle. She’s core faculty in the Program on Ethics, and the Disability Studies Program, and adjunct in Bioethics & Humanities. Since 2012, she has worked with neuroscientists and neural engineers at the UW Center for Neurotechnology. With Eran Klein, she runs the UW Neuroethics Research Group. The group does conceptual analysis, normative work, and empirical projects (including interviews and surveys). Recent projects include work on caregiver and peer support for BCI research participants, a question prompt list for BCI research studies, and understanding the ecosystem of care needed for BCI studies.