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MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience

MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience

News

July 29, 2026

This message brings news about:

  1. Team Seeking Graduate Student in Law
  2. Student Seeking Research Opportunity

 

  1. Team Seeking Graduate Student in Law

 

The Mind-Blind Morality team is seeking a research-oriented graduate student in law (LLM, JD, or PhD) who is interested in publishing scholarship at the intersection of legal theory and moral psychology. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Air Force, the project brings together researchers at UCLA (USA) and Nottingham Trent University (UK). The successful candidate will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of social scientists, legal scholars, and research assistants to investigate how mental state liability (mens rea) operates in appellate case law, primarily in the United States with some potential UK cases. Responsibilities include reviewing appellate opinions, identifying the mental state requirements for offenses, resolving classification disagreements, developing benchmark datasets of carefully classified cases, and advising on legal aspects of research design and methodology. In return, the role offers hands-on research experience, opportunities for co-authorship in scholarly publications, and access to a professional network spanning law, psychology, and AI research. Interested candidates should contact Ali Giritlioglu at ali.giritlioglu@ntu.ac.uk.

 

  1. Student Seeking Research Opportunity

 

Matthews Gregorio is a 7th-semester LL.B. student from Brazil with practical experience as a judicial intern in a Criminal Court, where he reviewed case files, drafted procedural documents, monitored deadlines, and supported the organization of a heavy criminal docket. He is seeking a remote or in-person research assistant opportunity in law, cognitive science, neurolaw, behavioral decision-making, criminal justice, constitutional law, or related fields, with availability during the winter period and flexibility to assist with literature reviews, case law research, data organization, and administrative research tasks. He is especially interested in how cognitive biases, decision-making processes, and institutional design shape legal behavior and legal outcomes, and can be contacted at matthews.gregorio@a.unileste.edu.br.