Events Calendar

Munushian Seminar Michael Roukes

Speaker: Michael Roukes, California Institute of Technology

Talk Title: Integrated Neurophotonics: Toward Massively-Parallel Mapping of Brain Activity

Abstract: In 2011, six U.S. scientists from different disciplines banded together, outlined a vision [1], and managed to convince the Obama administration of the unprecedented opportunity that now exists to launch a coordinated, large-scale effort to map brain activity. This culminated in the U.S. BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies), which was launched in 2013. Our vision was predicated on the current level of maturity of diverse fields of nanotechnology that, for the first time, can now be coalesced to realize powerful new tools for neuroscience. I will outline the assertions we made, and focus upon our own collaborative efforts toward these goals - at Caltech and beyond - to realize this exciting potential.

[1] Alivisatos A.P., Chun M., Church G.M., Greenspan R.J., Roukes M.L., Yuste R., The Brain Activity Map project and the challenge of functional connectomics. Neuron 74, 970-4 (2012).


Biography: Michael Roukes is the Robert M. Abbey Professor of Physics, Applied Physics, and Bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology . His scientific interests range from quantum measurement to applied biotechnology - with a unifying theme of the development, very-large-scale integration and application of complex nanostructures. Roukes was the founding Director of Caltech's Kavli Nanoscience Institute (KNI) from 2003-2006. In 2007, he co-founded the Alliance for Nanosystems VLSI (very-large-scale integration) with scientists and engineers at CEA/LETI in Grenoble, which maintains a $B-scale microelectronics research foundry. He then continued as co-director of Caltech's KNI from 2008-2013, when he stepped down to pursue full-time efforts in nanoscience and neuroscience. Concurrent with his Caltech appointment, he has held a Chaire d'Excellence in nanoscience in Grenoble, France since 2008. Among his honors, Roukes is a recipient of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award and has been awarded Chevalier (Knight) dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Republic of France.

Host: EE-Electrophysics

Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Marilyn Poplawski