"The Making of Lasting Memories" — Crossroads Lecture Sunday, Oct. 18

James McGaugh, Research Professor, Neurobiology & Behavior, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine

Note corrected time, posted Oct. 13 at 5 p.m.

The lecture series Crossroads: Ideas for a New Century will continue on Sunday, October 18, 2 p.m. at Orcas Center with a presentation by James McGaugh entitled Memory and Emotion: The Making of Lasting Memories.

Remembering, like breathing, seems like something we do naturally and without conscious thought.  And, like the capacity to breathe, “memory is absolutely critical for our existence as humans.” Yet the precise nature of memory is one of science’s most enduring puzzles.  How does the human mind knit together a succession of individual moments into a coherent past?  Why do we vividly remember some experiences, while others fade or elude us altogether? And what role do the emotions play in the process?

Recent advances in neurobiology have begun to provide answers, thanks in large part to the work of Professor McGaugh.  For him, the importance of the quest is clear.  “We are, after all, our memories” he says.  “Memory is the ‘glue’ of our personal existence,” the capacity “that enables us to value everything else we possess,” and a better understanding of its mechanisms may enable us address the various problems that can occur when memory malfunctions.

As Research Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior in the School of Biological Sciences at University of California, Irvine, Professor McGaugh is internationally recognized as a leader in the search for a better understanding of memory.  After receiving his Ph.D. in physiological psychology from UC Berkeley in 1959 and pursuing teaching and postdoctoral work elsewhere, he came to UC Irvine in 1964 as the founding chair of what was then known as the Department of Psychobiology.  He later became Dean of the School of Biological Sciences and Executive Vice Chancellor.  Perhaps his most significant contribution, however, has been his founding of the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, where he served as director for 21 years and remains a fellow.  In recognition of his distinguished service, the university awarded him the UCI Medal in 1992 and named a building in his honor in 2001.

Professor McGaugh has written and published extensively for both professional and lay audiences.  He is editor of the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, and in 2003 published Memory and Emotions: The Making of Lasting Memories, the book upon which his talk will be based.   He is past president of the American Psychological Society, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Brazilian and Mexican academies of science, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Society of Experimental Psychologists, and the World Academy of Art and Science.  Over the course of his career, he has garnered numerous honors and awards, including one that must be especially dear to a researcher’s heart: the creation in 1994 of the James L. McGaugh Award for Excellence in Graduate Research in Neurobiology and Behavior at UC Irvine.

The Crossroads series presents thoughtful, provocative speakers who help the Orcas community think about timely issues, both local and global.  Sponsored by the Friends of the Orcas Island Library in cooperation with Orcas Island Public Library and Orcas Center, it is made possible through the generous support of the Daniel and Margaret Carper Foundation and the Crossroads Associates, together with the modest ticket price of $10.  Tickets tickets may be purchased at Darvills and the Library, and those who need complimentary tickets may sign up for them at the Senior Center or the Library.