Rebecca Saxe facts for kids

Rebecca Saxe is a smart scientist who teaches at MIT. She is a professor of cognitive neuroscience, which is the study of how our brains help us think. She also helps lead the science department at MIT.

Professor Saxe works with the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and helps guide the Center for Open Science. This center makes scientific research more open for everyone to see and use. She is well-known for her research on how our brains help us understand other people.

She studied Psychology and Philosophy at Oxford University. Later, she earned her PhD in Cognitive Science from MIT. Her grandfather, Morton Shulman, was a Canadian politician and doctor. Her mother, Dianne Saxe, is also a politician in Toronto.

Understanding How We Think About Others

As a student, Professor Saxe found that a special part of the brain lights up when we try to understand what other people are thinking or feeling. This brain area is called the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ). It's like our brain's "mind-reading" center!

The rTPJ and Moral Choices

Professor Saxe continues to study the rTPJ. She has shown that this brain area is important when we make moral judgments. For example, if you hear a story about someone doing something, your rTPJ helps you decide if their actions were right or wrong. It helps you think about their intentions.

When the rTPJ is not working as usual, people might focus more on what actually happened, rather than what the person meant to do. This is similar to how some people with autism might think. This research suggests that the rTPJ could play a role in how autism develops.

Other Brain Studies

Besides studying how we understand others, Professor Saxe also looks at how flexible our brains are. She researches how our brains handle feelings like empathy (understanding what others feel), group disagreements, and figuring out emotions.

Awards and Special Recognition

Before joining MIT, Rebecca Saxe was a special junior fellow at Harvard University. This is a big honor for young researchers.

In 2008, Popular Science Magazine named her one of the "Brilliant 10" scientists under 40. In 2012, the World Economic Forum recognized her as a Young Global Leader. This award goes to young people who are making a big difference in the world.

Her TED talk from 2009 has been watched over 3.3 million times! In 2014, she received the Troland Research Award from the National Academy of Sciences. This award celebrates important research in psychology.