Professor Geraint Rees of University College London (UCL) has been elected as an academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC)


We are pleased to announce that Professor Geraint Rees, Vice-Provost of UCL, has been elected an academician of the World Academy for Artificial Consciousness (WAAC) for his foundational contributions to the neural mechanisms of conscious contents and attention, brain networks, and computational decoding.

Over many years, Professor Rees has used functional imaging (fMRI) and multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to systematically reveal the neural correlates of visual consciousness, while advancing both the methodology and ethical discourse surrounding “brain readout/mind decoding.” His work has laid an important foundation for data-driven characterization linking conscious representations, large-scale brain networks, and computable readouts. Beyond basic research, Professor Rees has played key roles in academic governance and the innovation ecosystem, and has spearheaded initiatives that promote cross-disciplinary translation and international partnerships at the scientific frontier.

  • 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.