Eric DeWitt is a cognitive neuroscientist passionate about uncovering the biological and computational foundations of decision making. He began his journey at Hampshire College, exploring the evolution of neural networks and the foundations of cognitive science, before running a computer consulting company—a detour that fueled his love for both theory and applied problem-solving.
He went on to complete his PhD at New York University in Paul Glimcher’s lab, combining theory and experiments in reinforcement learning and neuroeconomics to understand how dopamine shapes decisions in humans and primates. For his postdoctoral work in Portugal under Zachary Mainen, Eric dove into cutting-edge rodent research, studying the roles of serotonin and dopamine while maintaining a focus on integrating theory with experiment.
Beyond the lab, Eric is deeply committed to science education and outreach. He co-founded and directed multiple summer schools, including the Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience Summer School and the CAJAL Behaviour of Neural Systems Summer School, and co-launched Neuromatch Academy, a global, online cognitive neuroscience program reaching thousands of students worldwide. He also co-founded Ar | Respire Connosco, a public outreach initiative teaching science communication to engage broader audiences.
Currently, as a Research Associate leading the Computational Cognitive Decision Science Laboratory at Champalimaud Research, Eric collaborates with researchers worldwide to study how neuromodulators influence learning and decision making and to explore the structures and processes behind human collective organization and collaboration.
