The Baker Institute for Public Policy published the Policy Brief “From Neuroweapons to ‘Neuroshields’: Safeguarding Brain Capital for National Security” co-authored by EMEA President, Prof Rym Ayadi and EMEA Advisory Board members, Harris Eyre MD PhD and William Hynes, D.Phil.
Economic security has become a top priority for the West following the disruptions caused by COVID-19, the Ukraine War, and the growing threat of near-peer competitors. This paper emphasizes the importance of brain capital in optimizing national security. Specifically, it explores the dangerous potential of neuroweapons, the need for a “Neuroshield” to protect democracies from the risks of mis- and disinformation, the implications of neural enhancement via brain-computer interfaces, and other innovative research agendas related to national security and brain health. The authors argue that it is critical for policymakers to develop clear guidelines and policies to protect brain capital and recognize how it can be utilized to enhance national security. In order to develop novel data and solutions in this area, they also propose the creation of an action group on brain capital for national security, hosted by the Brain Capital Alliance and the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Paper authors: Harris A. Eyre, William Hynes, Geoffrey F. L. Ling, Jo-An Occhipinti, Rym Ayadi, Michael D. Matthews, Ryan Abbott, Patrick Love
The paper is available at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/neuroweapons-neuroshields-safeguarding-brain-capital-national-security
Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, also known as the Baker Institute, is an American think tank on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1993, it functions as a center for public policy research.
Harris A. Eyre, M.D., Ph.D., is a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and a senior fellow at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. He leads the Brain Capital Alliance and co-leads the OECD Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative. He is an advisor to the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA.
William Hynes, D.Phil., is the coordinator of the New Approaches to Economic Challenges unit within the Office of the Chief Economist of the OECD. He also holds adjunct positions with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, University College London, and the Santa Fe Institute. He is an advisor to the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA.
