Doves nest and coo just outside the office of Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., who runs the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. Chapman, a cognitive neuroscientist, collaborates with scientists across the country and globally on issues concerning the brain and its health. Last year the center launched its Brain Performance Institute, said to be the world’s first institute for the general public focused on science-based programs to increase brain performance and enhance brain resilience.
A Dallas native who grew up in the Forest Hills neighborhood, Chapman attended Bryan Adams High School, the University of North Texas, and UTD. Her work aims to help people of all ages—from overstressed high achievers and veterans to those with Alzheimer’s or bipolar disorder—whether they have a healthy brain, a brain disease, or a brain injury. Chapman, who’s been cited as an expert in media outlets ranging from CNN.com to Reuters, sees North Texas as a pacesetter in the field: “We fully expect Dallas to be the hub, where technology and corporations all want to be brain-healthy, so our best years of brain health are ahead of us—not behind.”
