Why this neuroscientist is taking the plunge into science advocacy - Nature

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:To the late neuroscientist James Doty, “manifestation” may be more than just pseudoscience. Instead of the mysticism commonly associated with the term, Doty theorized that manifestation works by embedding an intention into your subconscious mind, which passively drives you toward accomplishing a goal. This method not only shaped Doty’s life, but perhaps the lives of other figures, too. When Dolly Parton was a poor, young girl growing up in rural Tennessee, she would fashion a fake microphone out of sticks and tin cans and sing to her siblings while dreaming of being on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. “That little microphone just brought me all the way to the top of the world from the top of the Smoky Mountains,” she told People magazine in 2025. Could Parton have manifested these dreams into reality? According to the late James Doty, MD, it’s possible. Doty’s idea of manifestation is not rooted in New Age spiritual practices popular on social media that posit all you need to do is put dreams out into the world and they will come true. Instead, Doty’s method is based in real, practical science.

Live Science spoke with neuroscientist Argel Aguilar-Valles about recent research exploring psychedelics as a treatment for mild head trauma.

A two-day, hands-on workshop for scientists and researchers ready to turn their expertise into actionNovember 2–3, 2026 | University of Calgary | Calgary, Alberta 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. each day | Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Room details to be announcedDo you want to get involved in science policy or advocacy but don’t know where to start? Then this workshop is for you! You care about an issue. You have knowledge and expertise that could contribute to better decisions. But figuring out where you fit, who to talk to, what to ask for, and how to actually make an impact can be much harder. Over two interactive days, Evidence for Democracy (E4D) will help you develop a concrete, realistic plan for engaging in science policy and advocacy. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a practical guide to take your next step into advocacy. Finding Your Role in AdvocacyScientists and researchers can contribute to public policy in many different ways: as experts, advisers, communicators, knowledge brokers, advocates, or engaged members of their communities.