Richard A. Andersen

Dr. Richard A. Andersen is the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at the California Institute of Technology. Andersen studies the neurobiological underpinnings of brain processes, including the senses of sight, hearing, balance, and touch. Andersen is a pioneer in the development of implanted neural prosthetic devices that will serve as an interface between severely paralyzed individuals' brain signals and their artificial limbs – allowing thoughts to control movement. He has collaborated with bioengineers, electrical engineers, economists, and physicists as well as clinicians toward developing a neural prosthesis. In addition to his innovative research, Andersen is a devoted mentor who has trained over 60 postdoctoral and doctoral students. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including a McKnight Foundation Scholars Award, a Sloan Foundation Fellowship, the Spencer Award from Columbia University, a McKnight Technical Innovation in Neuroscience Award, and a McKnight Neuroscience Brain Disorders Award. In addition to his American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership, Andersen is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and International Neuropsychological Symposium. His 200+ scientific publications appear in prominent journals such as Journal of Neuroscience, Neuron, and Science.