Why do we remember our childhood bedtime stories more vividly than the literature we read in high school?
How does our brain process the numerous stories we encounter daily — from the ones on our social media feed, to those we share with colleagues over a coffee break?
And, why do some stories remain in our collective memory, while others get forgotten once they stop making headlines?
Join us as we explore the lore behind storytelling and the human brain.
FREE
Tuesday, 16th June 2026
21:00-22:30 | drinks & snacks
SPEAKERS
BUDDHIKA BELLANA
JOE STUBBERSFIELD
HOSTS
LYDIA FETTWEISS NETO
SAHELI ROY
LANGUAGE
This live event will be in English and will also be transmitted online.
In this age of instant communication, our days are filled with stories. From our favorite dishes to our political preferences — our cherished memories, and thereby our identities are defined by stories. Over time, as these stories get repeated, they influence our perception of ourselves and how we understand the world around us.
Join us on June 16th at 9 PM, as we delve into the fascinating connection between storytelling and the human mind. We will explore how traditional tales helped define different cultures around the globe—through storytelling and anthropological insights. Buddhika Bellana from York University will tell us how our spontaneous thoughts are shaped by the stories we get exposed to. Joe Stubbersfield from the University of Winchester will then unravel how our cognitive biases cause some stories to appeal to us more than others.
Finally, we will wrap up the evening with drinks, conversations, and a book swap, for you to take a tangible story home with you. For the book swap, we kindly ask you to bring along a book that you enjoyed and would like to recommend and share with someone else!
Speakers
Buddhika Bellana
Dr. Buddhika Bellana is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Glendon Campus of York University inToronto, Canada. His research focuses on the cognitive neuroscience of episodic memory — our ability to re-experience the past. In particular, he is interested in how episodic memory draws upon, and contributes to, meaning-making. To learn more about his work, visit www.bellanalab.com. *This talk will be online.
Joe Stubbersfield
Dr. Joe Stubbersfield is a senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Winchester, UK. His research draws on social learning, cultural evolution, and cognitive anthropology, and focuses on how biases in cognition shape the way that information spreads through social networks, particularly misinformation, conspiracy theories, and urban legends.
Hosts
Lydia Fettweis Neto
Lydia Fettweis Neto is a research technician at Champalimaud Research’s Systems Neuroscience Lab. With a background in set and costume design, she combines her creative flair with her scientific pursuits, showcasing the exciting possibilities at the intersection of art and cognitive neuroscience. Currently, Lydia applies these methods to study visual perception and investigate how environmental design can improve the pre-surgical experience.
Saheli Roy
Saheli Roy is a PhD student studying Neuroscience at the Innate Behavior Laboratory of the Champalimaud Foundation. Her current work utilizes tiny fruit flies to understand behavioral prioritization: when faced with threats, do animals prioritize their own safety or the survival of their species? A keen reader of Bengali and English literature, she also occasionally dabbles in writing, across both scientific as well as more creative realms.