Theme: Agency

Our 2025 show features nine extraordinary women who are redefining the fields of cognitive science, cultural evolution, psychology, linguistics, music, and poetry. The talks will explore how internal beliefs and external systems shape human behavior—and how curiosity, wonder, and the pursuit of scientific knowledge can inspire positive societal change.

Groton Hill Music Center
122 Old Ayer Rd
Groton, Massachusetts, 01450
United States

Elizabeth Margulis

Musical Neuroscientist

Elizabeth is a professor of music at Princeton University and the Director of its Music Cognition Lab, which explores how music shapes memory, imagination, and cultural experience. As a leader in interdisciplinary research, she bridges musicology, psychology, and neuroscience. Elizabeth has served as President of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition. Her award-winning work has been featured by NPR and the BBC. She brings scientific rigor to the ineffable power of music.

Jennifer Hu

Computational Linguist

Jennifer is an Assistant Professor of Cognitive Science at Johns Hopkins University and a former Research Fellow at Harvard’s Kempner Institute. With a PhD from MIT, her research bridges cognitive science, language, and machine learning to uncover how humans communicate so efficiently. Through computational modeling and experiments, she explores the mind’s inner workings while advancing safe AI—pursuing knowledge that inspires innovation for a brighter, more thoughtful future.

Kaleda Denton

Evolutionary Biologist

Kaleda is an evolutionary biologist who holds an Omidyar Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Santa Fe Institute. Her research explores how both genetic and non-genetic processes—such as epigenetics, development, and culture—shape evolution. A former Stanford Graduate Fellow, she combines theoretical and empirical research to understand significant evolutionary transitions and the emergence of cooperation, leveraging her expertise in gene-culture co-evolution and her collaborations with leaders in evolutionary biology.

Kathy Pham

Civic Technologist

Kathy is an adjunct lecturer in product management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a fellow at the MIT Media Lab, and the vice president of artificial intelligence at Workday. She is a leading voice in the ethical use of technology and advises on AI governance. Kathy served as the first executive director of the National AI Advisory Committee and helped launch the U.S. Digital Service. With experience at Google, IBM, and the World Economic Forum, she champions innovation at the intersection of tech, society, and public service.

Leor Zmigrod

Political Neuroscientist

Leor is an award-winning cognitive scientist whose research on ideological extremism bridges the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and political science. A Gates Scholar at the University of Cambridge, she has held fellowships at Harvard, Stanford, and leading European institutes. Honored by Forbes 30 Under 30 and the American Political Science Association, she is a recognized voice in science and society, featured in major outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, and TIME.

Sandra Matz

Behavioral Scientist

Sandra is a behavioral data scientist at Columbia Business School, investigating how digital footprints reveal psychological traits and influence real-world outcomes. By combining psychology and computer science, she advises global organizations, including Microsoft and the European Commission. As a DataIQ Top 100 honoree and Pacific Standard “Top Thinker Under 30,” her research has been published in leading scientific journals and featured by the BBC, CNBC, the Washington Post, and the World Economic Forum.

Sunita Sah

Organizational Psychologist

Sunita is an award-winning organizational psychologist at Cornell University, conducting groundbreaking research on defiance, advice, and influence. As a former NHS physician and executive, she provides multidisciplinary insights into advisor-advisee dynamics, transparency, and institutional trust. Her research has appeared in leading academic journals and media outlets, including The New York Times, Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American.

Tania Lombrozo

Cognitive Psychologist

Tania is a professor of psychology at Princeton University, where she also directs the Program in Cognitive Science and co-leads the Natural and Artificial Minds initiative. Bridging cognitive science and philosophy, her research explores how we explain, understand, and reason. She has received numerous early-career awards, including the Stanton Prize, the Spence Award, an NSF CAREER award, and a James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Award in Understanding Human Cognition.

Tracy Smith

US Poet Laureate

Tracy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, U.S. Poet Laureate, professor at Harvard University, and Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. As a champion of public engagement with poetry, she created The Slowdown podcast and led national literary initiatives with the Library of Congress. Her acclaimed works encompass poetry, memoir, and translation, reflecting a profound commitment to cultural dialogue and the American soul.