We are pleased to announce that Professor Ellen Langer of the Department of Psychology at Harvard University— a pioneer of mindfulness research—has been elected an Academician of the World Academy of Artificial Consciousness (WAAC) in recognition of her foundational contributions and cross-disciplinary impact in mindfulness centered on context and active attention (a non-meditative approach), mind–body unity, and the illusion of control.
As a Harvard psychologist, Professor Langer proposed the Langerian mindfulness framework built around “actively noticing novelty,” systematically investigated the causal pathways linking mindset with health, learning, and decision-making, and on this basis advocated a theoretical orientation of mind–body unity. Her general-audience book The Mindful Body (2023) synthesizes more than forty years of evidence, demonstrating the potential influence of mindset and contextual design on physiological indicators and the management of chronic disease.
- Global Collaboration and Academic Ecosystem
Academicians of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness hail from 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. Honorary Academicians come from a wide range of countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Spain, and China. In addition, leading scientists from prominent research institutes and technology companies—such as Google, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and ZEEKR—also participate.
- 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.