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We are pleased to announce that Li-Huei Tsai, Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT and Director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, has been elected an Academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC) in recognition of her pioneering contributions to the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and to 40 Hz gamma-rhythm sensory entrainment (GENUS).
Drawing from neural-circuit and molecular perspectives, Prof. Tsai has elucidated how CDK5/p25 dysregulation, epigenetic regulation, and neuroinflammation shape memory and neurodegeneration, and she has advanced the strategy of modulating network rhythms through 40 Hz multisensory stimulation to improve cognition. Her work has had broad impact across neuroscience, brain–computer interfaces, and neuromorphic intelligence, offering new, testable avenues for computational mechanisms and evaluation frameworks relevant to machine consciousness.
- Global Collaboration and Academic Ecosystem
The Academicians of WAAC come from universities and research institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Cambridge, the University of California, the French Academy of Sciences, the University of Padua, the University of Queensland, Columbia University, and the University of Exeter, among others. Honorary Academicians represent multiple countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Spain, and China. Additionally, leading scientists from renowned research institutions and technology companies—such as Google, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and Zeekr—are also involved.
- About WAAC
The World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (https://www.waac.ac/) is a global academic institution established in Paris in 2025. Its mission is to advance frontier research and international collaboration in artificial consciousness through the integration of science, technology, and philosophy. The Academy publishes open research, policy recommendations, evaluation standards, and more. The current President is Academician Yucong Duan, and the Secretary-General is Dr. Yingbo Li. The Honorary Academician List: On May 3, 2025, WAAC released its first batch of Top 100 Honorary Academicians, recognizing scholars who have made foundational or leading contributions to the theory of artificial consciousness.