Moran Cerf

Neuroscientist, Business Professor at the Kellogg School of Management

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Moran Cerf's Biography

Moran Cerf is a neuroscientist and business professor at the Kellogg School of Management and the neuroscience program at Northwestern university.Dr. Cerf is also a member of the institute on complex systems. In his work, Prof. Cerf helps individuals and businesses harness the current knowledge of the brain to improve thinking and understanding of customers and business decisions. His academic research uses methods from neuroscience to understand the underlying mechanisms of our psychology, behavior changes, emotion, decision making and dreams. His works address questions such as: "How are conscious percepts formed in our brain?", "How can we control our emotions?" and “How can we make content that is engaging for the brain?" Recently, his research has addressed questions pertaining to the neural mechanisms that underlie decision-making, thereby offering a new perspective on predicting future choices and investigating how much free will we have in our decisions. In his acclaimed work, Prof. Cerf studies patients undergoing brain-surgery by recording the activity of individual nerve cells using electrodes implanted in the patient's brain. Thus, his work offers a novel way to understand our psyche by observing the brain directly from within. Dr. Cerf holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Caltech, an MA in Philosophy and a B.Sc in Physics from Tel-Aviv University. He holds multiple patents and his works have been published in wide-circulation academic journals such as Nature and Journal of Neuroscience, as well as popular science journals such as Scientific American Mind, Wired, New Scientist and more. Additionally, his work has been portrayed in numerous media and cultural outlets such as CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, NPR, Time, MSNBC, and dozens of others. He has been featured in venues such as the Venice Art Biennial and China's Art, Science and Technology association, and has contributed to magazines such as Forbes, The Atlantic, Inc., and others. He has made much of his research accessible to the general public via his public talks at PopTech, TED, TEDx, Google Zeitgeist, DLD and other venues, gathering millions of views and a large following. Additionally, he is the beneficiary of several awards and grants for his work, including the Instructional improvement grant, and the prestigious president scholarship for excellence. He was recently named one of the "40 leading professors below 40".Prior to his academic career, Dr. Cerf spent nearly a decade in industry, holding positions in computers security (as a hacker), pharmaceutical, telecom, fashion, software development, and innovations research. Currently, Prof. Cerf is on the board of a number of neuro-tech companies (Nervanix, VR Americas, Best Fit) and the Co-founder of ThinkAlike. He is also the founder of B-Cube which applies neuroscience to help society. Notably, Dr. Cerf is the Alfred P. Sloan professor at the American Film Institute (AFI), where he teaches an annual screenwriting class on science in films and is a consultant to various Hollywood films and TV shows, such as CBS' “Bull” and “Limitless”, USA Network's “Falling Water”, and more.. Most importantly, he is right handed.

SPEAKING VIDEOS
PHOTOS

Hacking the Consumer's Brain | Moran Cerf | DMEXCO18

Free won't | Moran Cerf | TEDxAix

Moran Cerf: Hacking the brain

SPEAKER TOPICS

Customer Experience Speakers

Cyber Security Speakers

Future of Humanity Speakers

Neuro Science Speakers

Mindfulness Speakers

Virtual Keynotes

Conference Speakers

Moran Cerf Keynote Topics

Human 2.0: The Future of Neuroscience and Intelligence

Our speaker explores the cutting-edge frontiers of neuroscience and its impact on intelligence, cognitive enhancement, and human potential. This talk examines brain-computer interfaces, neurotechnology, and cognitive augmentation, alongside the ethical and societal implications of shaping the next stage of human evolution.

The Neuroscience of ‘Free Will’ and Decision Making

In this session, the speaker unveils the brain’s role in shaping our decisions and the scientific perspective on free will. With compelling real-life examples, audiences discover how conscious and unconscious processes influence choices — and how understanding them can transform leadership and decision-making strategies.

Changing Behavior

Our speaker presents the neuroscience behind behavior change, breaking down how habits are formed, disrupted, and reshaped. Attendees learn practical, brain-based methods for achieving lasting personal and organizational transformation, supported by evidence from groundbreaking research.

Using Neuroscience in Business: Neuro-Marketing, Consumer Neuroscience, and the Usage of the Brain in Business

This talk reveals how neuroscience can revolutionize business strategies, from product design to customer engagement. Through the lens of neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience, the speaker demonstrates how to create deeper connections, predict consumer behavior, and drive sustainable growth.

Cybersecurity from the Perspective of a Former Hacker

Drawing on a unique background in hacking, our speaker connects human behavior with the vulnerabilities and strengths of cybersecurity. The session offers an insider’s view on predicting threats, preventing breaches, and building human-centered defenses that go beyond technical solutions.

Moran Cerf's Biography

In his work, Prof. Cerf helps individuals and businesses harness the current knowledge of the brain to improve thinking and understanding of customers and business decisions.

His academic research uses methods from neuroscience to understand the underlying mechanisms of our psychology, behavior changes, emotion, decision making and dreams.

His works address questions such as: "How are conscious percepts formed in our brain?", "How can we control our emotions?" and “How can we make content that is engaging for the brain?"

Recently, his research has addressed questions pertaining to the neural mechanisms that underlie decision-making, thereby offering a new perspective on predicting future choices and investigating how much free will we have in our decisions. In his acclaimed work, Prof. Cerf studies patients undergoing brain-surgery by recording the activity of individual nerve cells using electrodes implanted in the patient's brain. Thus, his work offers a novel way to understand our psyche by observing the brain directly from within.

Dr. Cerf holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Caltech, an MA in Philosophy and a B.Sc in Physics from Tel-Aviv University.

He holds multiple patents and his works have been published in wide-circulation academic journals such as Nature and Journal of Neuroscience, as well as popular science journals such as Scientific American Mind, Wired, New Scientist and more. Additionally, his work has been portrayed in numerous media and cultural outlets such as CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, NPR, Time, MSNBC, and dozens of others. He has been featured in venues such as the Venice Art Biennial and China's Art, Science and Technology association, and has contributed to magazines such as Forbes, The Atlantic, Inc., and others.

He has made much of his research accessible to the general public via his public talks at PopTech, TED, TEDx, Google Zeitgeist, DLD and other venues, gathering millions of views and a large following.

Additionally, he is the beneficiary of several awards and grants for his work, including the Instructional improvement grant, and the prestigious president scholarship for excellence. He was recently named one of the "40 leading professors below 40".
Prior to his academic career, Dr. Cerf spent nearly a decade in industry, holding positions in computers security (as a hacker), pharmaceutical, telecom, fashion, software development, and innovations research. Currently, Prof. Cerf is on the board of a number of neuro-tech companies (Nervanix, VR Americas, Best Fit) and the Co-founder of ThinkAlike. He is also the founder of B-Cube which applies neuroscience to help society.

Notably, Dr. Cerf is the Alfred P. Sloan professor at the American Film Institute (AFI), where he teaches an annual screenwriting class on science in films and is a consultant to various Hollywood films and TV shows, such as CBS' “Bull” and “Limitless”, USA Network's “Falling Water”, and more..

Most importantly, he is right handed.