{"689639":{"#nid":"689639","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Welcomes a Neuroethics Pioneer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence has been touted as the most transformative technology of our time. With only a few years of mainstream use, it\u2019s changed how we work and communicate, generated billions of dollars in investments, and sparked global debate. But according to leading neuroethics expert \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/karen-rommelfanger-a-neuroscience-society-champion-of-ethics-and-inclusion\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKaren Rommelfanger\u003C\/a\u003E, the race isn\u2019t over yet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCan you think of a more transformative technology than one that intervenes with the fundamental organ that drives your experience in the world?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat fundamental organ is the brain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnologies interfacing directly with the brain have been reserved for treating severe injury or disease for decades. Now, neurotechnology is expanding into brain-responsive wearables meant to enhance, augment, and monitor everyday life. As these technologies accelerate and AI is incorporated, the question is no longer \u003Cem\u003Eif \u003C\/em\u003Eneurotechnology will transform society, but \u003Cem\u003Ehow \u003C\/em\u003E\u2014 and who will shape the boundaries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are some of the questions on which Karen Rommelfanger has built her career. Trained as a biomedical researcher and neuroscientist, Rommelfanger went on to found the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/instituteofneuroethics.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroethics\u003C\/a\u003E, the world\u2019s first think and do tank devoted entirely to neuroethics, public engagement, and policy implementation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe brain is special; it\u2019s central to who we are,\u201d says Rommelfanger, who was also an inaugural recipient of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/dana-foundation-recognizes-two-neuroscience-society-champions-with-inaugural-awards\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDana Foundation Neuroscience and Society Award\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cAnd that means when you intervene with the brain, there are unique responsibilities. The field of neuroethics addresses things like: How do you ensure mental privacy? How do you protect free will? How do you ensure that people have the power to be narrators of their own lives and their cognitive experience?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Rommelfanger is joining Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS) as a professor of the practice, where she will work to further embed neuroethics into Georgia Tech\u2019s research and technology development ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is producing the next generation of neurotechnologists, and Karen\u2019s expertise will help ensure we\u2019re preparing them to think about societal impact as deeply as they think about the technical and scientific aspects of their work,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/christopher-john-rozell\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChristopher Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of INNS. \u201cHer leadership strengthens the Institute in exactly the way this moment in neurotechnology demands.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has many, many ways that it leads in the technology ecosystem. But one of the powerful, unique ways it can lead is through neurotechnology,\u201d says Rommelfanger. \u201cI hope that the INNS, given its unique mandate for neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society, can be a lighthouse for these types of conversations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuroethics by Design\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom institutional review boards to mandatory responsible research conduct training, ethics are a foundational part of scientific research. But designing neurotechnologies raises ethical challenges beyond the scope of typical training. What happens when discoveries leave the lab and enter people\u2019s lives?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat question sits at the core of Rommelfanger\u2019s work. She argues it\u2019s a neurotechnologist\u2019s responsibility to recognize and proactively address the need for unique safeguards for privacy, autonomy, and long-term responsibility. Her solution is to move neuroethics upstream, embedding it directly into the research, design, and deployment of neurotechnology through an approach she calls \u201cneuroethics by design.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNeuroethics by design considers ethics as a core criterion where principles can drive innovation with more of a lens toward societal outcomes,\u201d she says \u2014 an approach informed by years of advising national-level brain research initiatives and her experience at the intersection of clinical practice and ethics scholarship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather than treating ethics as a compliance checklist or a post hoc review, neuroethics by design integrates ethical thinking throughout the entire innovation lifecycle, from early ideation and research questions to product requirements, governance strategies, and long-term sustainability. She has used the approach for years as an embedded partner for neurotechnology startups in her neuroethics consultancy, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ningenstrategy.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENingen Co-Lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter decades as a traditional academic professor and then years advising companies and policymakers with this philosophy, Rommelfanger says Georgia Tech is the right place to scale this work. With its strength in neurotechnology and INNS\u2019s rare focus on neuroscience\u003Cem\u003E and\u003C\/em\u003E society, \u201cI could not think of a better place to launch and pilot this neuroethics by design scaling effort.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe will work with INNS to help equip researchers, students, and industry partners with practical tools for ethical decision-making. Her vision is not to create neuroethicists as a standalone profession, but to cultivate ethically engaged neurotechnologists and engineers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECentral to her plans at INNS are hands-on training programs that bring ethics out of the abstract and into practice. \u201cI wanted to be a professor of the practice because, while the field does need more scholars, what it really needs most at this point are practitioners.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERommelfanger is exploring modular content that can be embedded into existing courses across disciplines, as well as immersive training \u2014 such as neuroethics boot camps and problem-solving hackathons \u2014 that bring together students, faculty, and professionals to tackle real-world challenges collaboratively.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNo one discipline can solve all the ethical challenges ahead,\u201d says Rommelfanger. She is particularly interested in creating spaces where experts from across science and engineering, policy and law, design and the arts, and philosophy can work side by side with people with lived experience of neurological conditions. \u201cThe onus is not on scientists alone, but is a shared responsibility that benefits immensely from dialogue, accountability, and action across diverse communities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy situating neuroethics within Georgia Tech\u2019s broader research ecosystem, Rommelfanger hopes INNS can help shift how the field evolves globally.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s really difficult to get your arms around something once it\u0027s out of the gate,\u201d she says, citing the rapid adoption of AI without proper ethical or policy guidelines. \u201cWith neurotechnology, we still have a little bit of time, but not that much time. We are at that moment where we could change the course of global history.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs brain interfacing tools move out of the lab and into everyday life, Karen Rommelfanger is bringing her global neuroethics expertise to Georgia Tech to prepare the next generation of ethical innovators.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As brain interfacing tools move out of the lab and into everyday life, Karen Rommelfanger is bringing her global neuroethics expertise to Georgia Tech to prepare the next generation of ethical innovators."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 15:20:52","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:46:36","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679924":{"id":"679924","type":"image","title":"Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKaren Rommelfanger recently joined Georgia Tech as a professor of the practice, where she will work with the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society to embed neuroethics into Georgia Tech\u2019s research and technology development ecosystem. Photo via the Dana Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776101751","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:35:51","changed":"1776102415","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:46:55","alt":"Karen Rommelfanger smiling in a warmly lit room. A window and brick wall are visible behind her.","file":{"fid":"264146","name":"Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":101822,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg?itok=uivAseBV"}},"679926":{"id":"679926","type":"image","title":"BrainMind.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKaren Rommelfanger (left) is a leading voice in neuroethics, with years of experience bridging neuroscience, technology development, ethics, and public policy to address the societal impacts of emerging brain technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776101944","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:39:04","changed":"1776101944","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:39:04","alt":"Seated on the left, Karen Rommelfanger speaks on a panel at the 2026 Asilomar for the Brain and Mind conference. Panelists sit on stage in front of a large screen displaying the conference name, dates, and a brain-themed graphic, with an audience visible in the foreground.","file":{"fid":"264148","name":"BrainMind.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":167461,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG?itok=HALewFCU"}}},"media_ids":["679924","679926"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/lab-life-inside-institute-neuroscience-neurotechnology-and-society","title":"From Lab to Life: Inside the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)"},{"url":"https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/karen-rommelfanger-a-neuroscience-society-champion-of-ethics-and-inclusion\/","title":"Karen Rommelfanger: A Neuroscience \u0026 Society Champion of Ethics and Inclusion"},{"url":"https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/why-neuroethics-matters-in-the-age-of-brain-technology\/","title":"Why Neuroethics Matters in the Age of Brain Technology: A Conversation with Karen Rommelfanger"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"194610","name":"National Interests\/National Security"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}