Dr. Bilder is Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, and holds the Tennenbaum Family Endowed Chair in Creativity Research. A widely published neuropsychologist with decades of experience researching links between brain and behavior in health and disease, he directs the Consortium for Neuropsychiatric Phenomics, supported by the National Institutes of Health as part of a theme — “research teams of the future” – to find links between the human genome and complex brain functions. Dr. Bilder also leads a team of investigators who are striving to identify the biological bases of creative thought, and they have identified a set of cognitive dimensions, including generativity, working memory, and response inhibition, that appear to be keys to creative achievement in diverse artistic, scientific, and business pursuits. Dr. Bilder will explore how these components operate collectively to help “unlock” narratives, particularly by describing the brain systems that help us connect cognitive processes to visceral states, engage empathic “mirror” states, and balance cognitive stability with cognitive flexibility.

Favorite Film:

Kill Bill (both volumes), for its hilarious narrative arc, campy frivolity, some fine acting (particularly given the first two points), and overall direction, including Tarantino’s flair for picking tunes! I’d also have to give high votes to Dr. Strangelove (so I guess black comedy is my thing!).