As part of our community outreach efforts, the School of Biological Sciences welcomed the new chair of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor Ruth Benca, to present her research on the sleeping brain at the 23^rd UCI Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory. Professor Benca has helped identify the correlation between sleep and neurological disorders, and that untreated sleep disorders can increase the risk of developing conditions like depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory was the creation of founding faculty member Dr. James L. McGaugh, and since its inception, has represented one of the best examples of public outreach the university offers. Dr. Benca’s lecture attracted one of the series’ largest crowds to date. The topic of sleep and brain health is of national and international importance, and Dr. Benca’s research is certain to impact how we view and treat sleep disorders moving forward.