Elkhonon Goldberg

Elkhonon Goldberg is a renowned psychologist, author, and professor who has made a lasting impression on the scientific community. Born in Ukraine in 1939 and having emigrated to the US in his mid-twenties, Goldberg has devoted his life to exploring the mysteries of the human mind. He is best known for his expertise in the study of the brain, specifically in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and cognitive aging.

In his professional career, Goldberg has been a professor of neurology and psychology at New York University (NYU), University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), and American University of Paris, as well as an adjunct professor at the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. In addition, Goldberg served as clinical director of Neuroscience at the New York State Office for Mental Health and supervising clinical psychologist for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

From 1998 to 2004, Goldberg was the chairperson of NYU’s Department of Neurology. He was also the president of the International Neuropsychology Society (INS) and, in 2019, received the INS’s highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Neurology, the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology, and the National Academy of Neuropsychology, among others.

Goldberg has earned a reputation as one of the world's leading authorities on neuroscience, clinical neurology, and mental health. His iconic book, The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind from 2001, draws from his research on the frontal lobes of the brain and was acclaimed by the New York Times and the National Endowment for the Humanities for its groundbreaking insights about the link between human behaviour and brain development.

Other books written by Goldberg include The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older (2005), which explores the link between aging and cognitive functioning and creativity, and New Brain, New World (2009), which examines how neuroscience is changing our ideas about ourselves and our place in the world. He has also written a novel entitled Today I Will Fly, which chronicles the life of an elderly Brooklyn widower coping with memory loss and the effects of aging.

In his books and lectures, Goldberg has consistently sought to bring an understanding of neuroscience to everyday life. Through his books and teaching, he has become an authoritative voice in our understanding of how the brain works and how we can use it to our advantage in our daily lives.

Goldberg has contributed to shaping our understanding of the brain. His research and insights has offered the medical and neuroscience community new perspectives about how the brain works, in turn influencing a range of fields from neurology to psychology, psychiatry and education. His work has been recognised with prestigious awards, and his books and lectures remain highly influential for generations of students and professionals.