The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a professional society, headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose
research
Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...
is focused on the study of the
brain
The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...
and
nervous system
In biology, the nervous system is the complex system, highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its behavior, actions and sense, sensory information by transmitting action potential, signals to and from different parts of its body. Th ...
.
It is especially well known for its annual meeting, consistently one of the largest scientific conferences in the world.
History
SfN was founded in 1969
by
Ralph W. Gerard and, at nearly 35,000 members, has grown to be the largest
neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...
society in the world.
[ The stated mission of the society is to:
#Advance the understanding of the brain and the nervous system.
#Provide professional development activities, information, and educational resources.
#Promote public information and general education about science and neuroscience.
#Inform legislators and other policy makers about the implications of research for public policy, societal benefit, and continued scientific progress.][
]
Annual meeting
The society holds an annual meeting that is attended by scientists and physicians from all around the world. The first annual meeting of the society was held in Washington, DC in October 1971,Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. In 2024, the meeting was held in Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, Illinois, with 22,359 attendees.
Publishing
''The Journal of Neuroscience'', was launched in 1981 and has consistently been a multidisciplinary journal publishing papers on a broad range of topics of general interest to those working on the nervous-system. In addition, SfN publications offer breadth and depth into the rapidly developing field of neuroscience.
eNeuro, was launched in 2014, SfN's peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...
open-access
Open access (OA) is a set of principles and a range of practices through which nominally copyrightable publications are delivered to readers free of access charges or other barriers. With open access strictly defined (according to the 2001 de ...
scientific journal
In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication designed to further the progress of science by disseminating new research findings to the scientific community. These journals serve as a platform for researchers, schola ...
, publishes high quality papers in all areas of neuroscience that increase the understanding of the nervous-system, including replication studies and negative results.
SfN's digital member magazine, ''Neuroscience Quarterly'' covers SfN news, programs, science, and events, and other neuroscience-related issues. Enhanced content includes videos, slideshows, and interactive elements.
Nexus is a digital newsletter, containing key dates and details for annual meeting attendees, the latest research for JNeurosci and eNeuro, and public education and advocacy initiatives.
Presidents
The following people have been President of the Society:
Awards
SfN offers the following awards, fellowships, and honors:
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Society For Neuroscience
Neuroscience organizations
Scientific societies based in the United States
1969 establishments in Washington, D.C.
Organizations established in 1969