The “Research Culture Seminars” are part of the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, that includes a includes a new pillar focused on promoting a positive research culture within the institution, to help shape the behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes, and norms of our research community.
This new seminar series will focus on key values such as integrity, responsibility, care, teamwork, collaboration, ethical leadership, transparency, sustainability, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
The seminars will be interactive and dynamic, designed to encourage active participation from all attendees. They will address non-scientific topics with a high impact on science, and are for all the staff within the institution: research, technical, and administrative personnel. They will take place at least 3 times per year.
The first session will be held on Monday, June 1 at 15:00 CEST. You can attend in person at the CEK Esteve Auditorium (C/ Rosselló, 149-153. 08036 Barcelona) or online through this link.
Under the title “Applied Neuroscience for Trust & Influence. Leadership Starts Where Perception Begins”, the session will be delivered by Katharine d'Amico, PhD, Professor of the Practice in Applied Neuroscience.
You can find all the details here:
Applied Neuroscience for Trust & Influence. Leadership starts where perception begins
Speaker: Katharine D´Amico, PhD. Professor of the Practice in Applied Neuroscience.
Abstract: Every act of leadership starts in the brain. Leadership is no longer defined by authority, expertise, or even clarity of thought. It is defined by something far more fundamental: Whether others’ brains choose to trust you.
This talk series reframes trust and influence through the lens of applied neuroscience—revealing how decisions, perceptions, and relationships are shaped before logic even begins. We will explore how trust is formed, how it is lost, and—critically—how it can be generated when there is high stress. The reality is that decisions are made under pressure, attention is limited, and trust is fragile. Yet most leadership training still focuses on what to say.
This series focuses on something deeper: What is happening in the brain of the person listening. Because ultimately you are not evaluated on what you mean, you are evaluated on what is perceived - And perception is not rational. It is biological.
Participants will:
- Understand the neurobiology of trust and why it forms instantly.
- Learn how to manage perception as strategic.
- Discover why disagreement fails—and how to make it work.
- Build the ability to maintain influence under stress.
- Trust is not a soft skill. It is the foundation of every decision, every relationship, and every outcome in leadership. And influence is not about being right. It is about creating the conditions under which others are willing to follow you.
We encourage you to attend!