Presentations


Aramis D. M. Valverde
M.A. Bioethics Student, New York University
M.S. Cognitive & Information Sciences, University of California Merced



Conference Presentations


Explaining conscious report: a functional, mechanistic, and quasi-representationalist neural systems framework

- - - Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science: Models of Consciousness 3 [MOC3]: Stanford University: Stanford CA, USA - - September 9th, 2022 -

Was accepted to present and presented work on a hypothetical mechanism that could produce the confounding parts of concsious report as a byproduct of representational processing.



Academic Presentations


Information Processing as Cognition: Representation as Directed Hypergraph

- - - Templeton Foundation: Diverse Intelligences Research Summit: University of St Andrews: Saint Andrews, Scotland - - Summer, 2022 -

Individual presentation/showcase of the continuing development of work which was advanced through funding by the Templeton Foundation through DISI 2021.


Neuroplasticity, Epigenetics, and The Environment: A Systems and Neurobiological Approach to Understanding Mental Processing and Health

- - - Templeton Foundation: Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute 2022: University of St Andrews: Saint Andrews, Scotland - - Summer, 2022 -

Joint Presentation on work on integrating environmental health, neuroscience, and intergenerational community health with Doctoral student Cesar A. Barreras III [University of California, Los Angeles].


Neural Systems Compendium

- - - Templeton Foundation: Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute 2021: ONLINE [Due to COV-19] - - Summer, 2021 -

Individual presentation on work with Dr. Troy Weekes [ L3 Harris Institute for Assured Information , Florida Institute of Technology], on the development of a interactive neural systems compendium, meant to assist in education and comprehension of the informational mechanisms instantiated by neural systems.


The Possible Constraints on The Permanence and Development of Societies: Diverse Aliens

- - - Templeton Foundation: Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute 2021: ONLINE [Due to COV-19] - - Summer, 2021 -

Joint Presentation on work with Dr. Marius Dorabantu [Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam], Michael Garfield [Santa Fe Institute], Amanda Gregory [Digital Artist and Musician], Prof. Johathan Schooler [University of California, Santa Barbara], and Zbigniew Słuszkiewicz [Uniwersytetu Pedagogicznego im. KEN w Krakowie] , on the the possible systematic constraints on the permanence and development of societies.



University Presentations


Simplexes and Representation in the Brain, A Biologically Plausible Link Between Extant Brain Structures and Representation

- - - Cognitive and Information Sciences Department Graduate Student Seminar [Brownbag]: University of California, Merced: Merced CA, USA - - October 5th, 2020 -

Representation is fundamental to any high-level account of mental phenomena and is especially crucial in the understanding of phenomenological processing. Recent experiments under the Blue Brain and Human Brian Projects in the E.U. have shown that there are structures within the brain, n-dimensional simplexes, which in my view are the best candidates for a neurological structure of representation. In this talk I'll be going over the experiment itself which found these structures, the behavior of these structures, and my views on representation in general.


Hallucinations: Possible Mechanisms

- - - Cognitive and Information Sciences Department Graduate Student Seminar [Brownbag]: University of California, Merced: Merced CA, USA - - February 22nd, 2021 -

There has been a significant and persistent resurgence of interest in the therapeutic and clinical potential of hallucinogens. Clinical research has demonstrated the significant, profound, and persistent effects of hallucinogenic treatments on a broad variety of psychiatric issues such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
However, the precise nature of the persistence of these effects, as well as the mechanisms behind the qualitative experience of hallucinogen use, are not fully understood.
In this talk I will outline some probable neural mechanisms for the peculiar persistence of hallucinogenic therapy's effects as well as some possible mechanisms for the qualitative aspects of a hallucinogen-induced trip. Implications for representation and perception more broadly are discussed.


Mental Imagery and Representation as Directed Hypergraph

- - - Cognitive and Information Sciences Department Graduate Student Seminar [Brownbag]: University of California, Merced: Merced CA, USA - - May 2nd, 2022 -

There has been a significant and persistent resurgence of interest in the therapeutic and clinical potential of hallucinogens. Clinical research has demonstrated the significant, profound, and persistent effects of hallucinogenic treatments on a broad variety of psychiatric issues such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
However, the precise nature of the persistence of these effects, as well as the mechanisms behind the qualitative experience of hallucinogen use, are not fully understood.
In this talk I will outline some probable neural mechanisms for the peculiar persistence of hallucinogenic therapy's effects as well as some possible mechanisms for the qualitative aspects of a hallucinogen-induced trip. Implications for representation and perception more broadly are discussed.


Guest Speaking


S.T.E.A.M. Workshops

- - - Lycee Sisowat High School: Phnom Penh, Cambodia - - Summer 2018 -

Assisted in a two day seminar and teaching series on S.T.E.A.M. education to teachers at Lycee Sisowat High School in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Gave an individual presentation on design and ideation.

Physiological and Topological Underpinnings of Representation

- - - Contemporary Issues in Psychology: San Francisco State University: San Francisco CA, USA - - Fall 2019 -

Presented on Physiological and Topological Underpinnings of Representation, Particularly the role of n-dimensional simplexes and how they can be used to describe and possibly predict mental phenomena.

Undergraduate Research on Social Media Usage, Political Leanings, and Succeptibility to Misinformation

- - - American Politics: San Francisco State University: San Francisco CA, USA - - Spring 2016 -

Presented to 150-ish Students on Results from a Hybrid Survey/Experimental study on Political Knowledge, Voting Behavior, and Social Media Usage.