Social spaces as necessity: a neuro-cognitive perspective
Every scientific institution is also a social space. To have worked in different institutions on different continents is both a challenge and a gift. In this personal report, a few experiences and observations are sketched which have been made in China, Russia, the United States, and Germany. The journey begins in Germany, to be exposed to research in ethology and biological rhythms. From there, it goes to the United States, where neuropsychology and neuroanatomy opened a new window. Early on, several doors opened to Russia, and the open doors were used for decades, enjoying interdisciplinary cognitive science. In China, intense cooperation started in the new millennium with the focus on visual attention, temporal processing, and neuroaesthetics. In spite of all the diversity in research topics, in spite of cultural differences, political systems, historical trajectories, there was always one strong belief that never should be given up: Scientists are natural ambassadors.