CAS Cognitive Science Public Lecture Series Winter 2026/27
Introduction
As human beings, we have bodies and brains, but another integral part of us is something that seems non-physical, or immaterial to many people, something that we call ‘mind’. Equipped like this, we can experience, remember, forget, and learn, we can make strategic plans, daydream, do research or invent things and nonsense and tell our friends about it or visualize what we come up with to communicate our ideas to others. How is it that we do all this?
Many disciplines contribute to the understanding of how our minds and brains work. The lecture series aims to reflect the broad range of perspectives on human and non-human cognition and explore the potential of interdisciplinary dialog.
Researchers from a variety of disciplines including psychology, neurosciences, psychiatry, gerontology, computer science, economics, and others contribute to the lecture series.
Program
Tabelle
19.10. | Introduction - Philosophy of Cognitive Science Tobias Schlicht (Ruhr-University Bochum) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
26.10. | Memory and learning Jan Rummel (Psychology) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
02.11. | Basal cognition Detlev Arendt (Centre for Organismal Studies) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
09.11. | Social and cognitive development Trinh Nguyen / Cecil Mata (Psychology) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
16.11. | Neuro-Computational models of social decision-making and learning Christoph Korn (Social Neuroscience) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
23.11. | Cognitive aging Anja Leist (Institute for Gerontology) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
30.11. | Physical activity and cognitive function Simon Steib (Institute for Sports and Sports Sciences) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
7.12. | Music Perception André Rupp (University Hospital, Section Biomagnetism) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
14.12. | Embodied cognition Thomas Fuchs (Philosophy) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
11.1. | Functional Topographies: Why Brain Mapping Works Martin Fungisai Gerchen | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
18.1. | Sensorimotoric phenomena in psychiatric disorders Marie Otte (Institute for Psychiatry) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
25.1. | Levels of strategic thinking Jörg Oechsler (Institute for Economics) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
1.2. | Sleep (Fundamentals and Function) Gordon Feld (Clinical Psychology) | Lecture Hall 211, Institute for Translation and Interpreting, Plöck 57a, 69117 Heidelberg |
Note: Topics and dates may be subject to change!!!
Students of all faculties are welcome!
Course Credit
Credits
- 2 ECTS credits awarded for regular, documented attandance and active participation
- 4 ECTS credits awarded for regular, documented attandance and active participation, as well as the completion of either an essay or a podcast project
Projects
- Essay & Peer Review: Submit a short essay of 1,000-2,000 words on one session topic by February 28, review and assess two essays submitted by fellow students by March 15
- Podcast Project: Work in an interdisciplinary team of two to design and produce a podcast on a topic related to one of the course sessions
This course is mandatory for students of the Certificate of Advanced Studies "Cognitive Science".
Contributors
- Arndt Bröder (Mannheim University, Psychology)
- Jochen Briesen (Philosophy)
- Andreas Draguhn (Physiology)
- Johannes Gerwien (Psycholinguistics)
- Michael Hoff (Art History)
- Georgia Koppe (Scientific Computing)
- Christoph Korn (Social Neuroscience)
- Trinh Nguyen (Developmental Psychology)
- Jan Rummel (Psychology)
- André Rupp (Neurology)
- Christian Wolf (Psychiatry)
- Torsten Wüstenberg (Neurocognition)
Time
Monday, 16:00 - 18:00 (Sessions with two speakers last 120 minutes !)
Room
see program