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We are pleased to announce that Adam Zeman—Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at the University of Exeter Medical School and co-lead of The Eye’s Mind project on extreme imagery—has been elected an Academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC), in recognition of his foundational contributions to “aphantasia” and mental imagery, as well as to research on consciousness and autobiographical memory/transient epileptic amnesia (TEA).
In a 2015 paper in Cortex, Professor Zeman formally introduced the concept of aphantasia, catalyzing systematic research on the imagery continuum (including hyperphantasia) and its neural mechanisms. His team’s series of studies on the triad of transient epileptic amnesia (TEA), autobiographical memory impairment, and accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) has provided pivotal evidence for both clinical practice and theoretical work on consciousness and memory.
- 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.