Antonio R. Damasio

Antonio Damasio is a University Professor, holding the David Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Philosophy, and is the Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Born in Portugal, he earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Lisbon. Having studied Neurology and Neuroscience, Damasio has made significant contributions to the understanding of brain processes related to emotions, feelings, and consciousness. His work on the role of emotions in decision-making has greatly influenced neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. He has published numerous scientific articles and has been recognized as a "Highly Cited Researcher" by the Institute for Scientific Information, and is considered one of the most distinguished psychologists of the modern era. He has served as president of the Academy of Aphasia and the Behavioral Neurology Society. "Descartes' Error" has been translated into twenty-three languages and was named "Book of the Year" in the U.S. in 1994. Damasio is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and Sciences, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He has received numerous awards, including the Grawemeyer Award (2014), the Honda Prize (2010), the Asturias Prize for Science and Technology (2005), as well as the Nonino (2003), Signoret (2004), and Pessoa (1992) awards.