A distinguished researcher renowned for his expertise in complex systems, cognitive science, and neuroscience, Professor James Alexander Scott Kelso is the Glenwood and Martha Creech Eminent Scholar Chair in Science and Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. In 1985, Professor Kelso established an interdisciplinary research centre, the Centre for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, that brings together neuroscientists, applied mathematicians, physicists, psychologists, and computer scientists. Within the centre, Professor Kelso leads a team of researchers in the Human Brain and Behaviour Laboratory. Professor Kelso’s appointment as Global Chair will hugely benefit the research excellence within the Bath Institute for the Augmented Human (IAH) and associated departments and feeds into the University’s strategic research themes of Health & Well-Being and Digital.
A prolific keynote speaker, Professor Kelso is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society of Experimental Psychologists (SEP), as well as an Honorary Member of The Royal Irish Academy.
Professor Kelso will be hosted by one of his long-time collaborators at Bath, Director of the IAH Professor Damien Coyle, alongside other members of the IAH, including Professor Eamonn O’Neill, Professor Keith Stokes, Dr Karin Petrini and Dr Ben Metcalfe, and Dr Charles Larkin of the Institute for Policy Research. On his appointment as Global Chair, Professor Coyle said:
Professor Kelso's achievements exemplify the immense potential of interdisciplinary research, demonstrating how the fusion of diverse fields can catalyse novel insights and fundamentally transform our understanding of coordination dynamics and complex systems. As we embark on developing a multidisciplinary innovation ecosystem within the Bath Institute for the Augmented Human Prof Kelso’s talent for fostering collaboration and integrating diverse perspectives will be invaluable. Professor Kelso's expertise in complex adaptive systems will help guide our understanding of the intricate interactions between biological and artificial systems, and of human cognition in general. Prof Kelso will also contribute to the creation of ethical frameworks that guide the responsible development and deployment of human augmentation technologies. We are delighted to welcome Prof Kelso on board at this pivotal stage of the Institute’s development.
Proposed Activities at Bath
- Cross-faculty meetings with staff and students
- Masterclasses on engaging in multidisciplinary research for ECRs and PhD students
- Centre and IAH presentations
- Mentorship to IAH research leaders and ECRs
- Research project proposal writing
- Public and alumni engagement events, including a public lecture
- Meetings with the Advancement Office and IRO