CURRICULUM VITAE Olga Maria Klimecki date of birth: 08/01/1984 married, one child STATEMENT OF INTEREST I am a psychologist and neuroscientist interested in understanding the neural mechanisms that shape our social emotions in adaptive ways. In this endeavor, I combine methods from psychology, neuroscience, and economy. Jointly with Prof. David Sander, I am now coordinating a research focus on the role of emotions in conflict resolution at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (University of Geneva, Switzerland): http://www.affective-sciences.org/en/home/research/projects-and-foci/research-foci/emotions-and-conflict/ I am also the leader of the workpackage Emotion in the European project Medit-Ageing (deputy of the workpackage Emotion: Prof. Dr. Patrik Vuilleumier; main coordinator of Medit-Ageing: Dr. Gaël Chetelat). In our workpackage, we are investigating how mental health and well-being can be promoted through mental training in the ageing population. Our particular focus is on the role of emotions, their malleability and their underlying brain function: http://www.affective-sciences.org/en/home/research/projects-and-foci/research-foci/healthy-ageing/ In my doctoral research under the supervision of Prof. Tania Singer (2007-2012), I investigated neural, behavioral, and emotional plasticity induced by training social emotions like compassion and empathy with meditation-based techniques. The results of these longitudinal studies in adults provided evidence for the plasticity of social emotions spanning the levels of neural function, emotional resilience, and helping behavior. I extended this line of research to aggressive behavior with a BRIDGE/Marie Curie fellowship at the University of Geneva from 2013 - 2015. January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 2 ACADEMIC POSITIONS Since 08/2016 Maître Assistante (Oberassistent/ senior researcher) with Prof. David Sander (Psychology) and Prof. Patrik Vuilleumier (Medicine) at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Since 2016 Leader of the workpackage “Emotions” and Co-PI in the European project “Medit-Ageing” at the University of Geneva, Switzerland (deputy: Prof. Dr. Patrik Vuilleumier). Since 02/2015 Coordinating the research focus "Emotion and conflict resolution" (jointly with Prof. Dr. David Sander) at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. 01/2013 - 01/2015 Marie-Curie/Bridge postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Dr. David Sander (Psychology) and Prof. Dr. Patrik Vuilleumier (Medicine) at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. 09/2012-12/2012 Postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Dr. Tania Singer at the Max-Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany. 09/2010-09/2012 Assistant researcher with Prof. Dr. Tania Singer at the Max-Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany. 10/2007-9/2010 Assistant researcher with Prof. Dr. Tania Singer at the Institute of empirical economics (Director: Prof. Dr. Ernst Fehr), University of Zurich, Switzerland. January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 3 EDUCATION 09/2012 PhD defense in Psychology (“summa cum laude”) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland; supervisors: Prof. Dr. Lutz Jäncke, Prof. Dr. Tania Singer. 9/2006-9/2007 MSc Neuroscience at University College London (UCL), UK. Supervisor: Dr. Beau Lotto, Institute of Ophthalmology. 1/2006-8/2006 Diplomarbeit (comparable to a master’s thesis) in Psychology Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Gerd Vossel, Matthias Gamer. 10/2005 Vordiplom (comparable to a BA) in Psychology at Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. 6/2003 Abitur (final high school examination with "1,0", range 1-6 with 1 = very good) in Wiesbaden, Germany. January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 4 AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS 07/2016-08/2017 Funding from the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) for the project “The Role of Emotions in Conflict Resolution” with Prof. Dr. David Sander (CHF 77'000) 01/2016-12/2020 Leader of the workpackage "Emotion" and Co-PI on the European grant "Medit-Ageing" (project ID: 667696; total grant volume: EUR 6’992’006; grant volume for my workpackage "Emotion": EUR 860'375) 11/2015-08/2017 Funding from the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) for project on “Affective and Social Signals in Mediation” (CHF 5'000) 2014 Early Career Award from the Society for Social Neuroscience (received in Washington, USA) 2013 Evens Science Prize for the project “Upregulating the neural substrates of empathy via neurofeedback” with Prof. Dr. John Gruzelier, Prof. Dr. David Sander and Dr. Tomas Ros (EUR 30’000) 01/2013-01/2015 BRIDGE/Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship for the University of Geneva, Switzerland (about CHF 220'000) 10/2008-10/2009 Research Funding from the University of Zurich for “Neural Foundations of Empathy Learning” (Forschungskredit No 53990601; CHF 43’776) 10/2008-09/2010 Research Funding from the Neuroscience Center Zurich for “Neural foundations of empathy training“, (EUR 142’800) together with Prof. Dr. Tania Singer 2004 - 09/2007 Scholar of the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes) January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 5 ORGANIZATION OF CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA 03/2017 Organization of the symposium (with Dr. Dana Schneider) “The role of Theory of Mind and Empathy in Human Interactions from a Psychological and Neuroscientific Perspective” at the International Convention of Psychological Science, in Vienna, Austria. 02/2016 Organization of a workshop with Prof. Eran Halperin (psychology), Prof. Simon Hug (political sciences) and Maud Roure (interpeace): “The role of emotions in conflict resolution”, in Geneva, Switzerland. 10/2015 Organization of workshop with Jeremy Lack, Lucien Gyger, Linda Amrar & Matthieu Vétois: “How Can Neurobiology and Affective Sciences Contribute to Conflict Resolution?” during the Geneva Peace Week, in Geneva, Switzerland. 10/2015 Organization of two workshops, together with Francois Bogacz and Jeremy Lack, “What does neuroscience tell us about human conflict?” at the conference "conflict matters" in Brussels, Belgium. 07/2015 Organization of the symposium “The Role of Emotions in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution” at the International Society for Research on Emotion, in Geneva, Switzerland. 07/2015 Organization of the workshop with Francois Bogacz and Jeremy Lack “Applying affective sciences to conflict resolution and peacebuilding – bridging research and practice” at the International Society for Research on Emotion, in Geneva, Switzerland. 04/2012 Organization of the symposium “Neural Substrates of Compassion” at the International Symposia for Contemplative Studies, in Denver, USA. 01/2006-3/2006 Assisted in preparing and carrying out the "Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen" (Conference on Experimental Psychology), in Mainz, Germany. January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 6 TEACHING 12/2016 Course: "Compassion et Neuroscience" (Compassion and Neuroscience) for the "Diplôme Universitaire de Médecine Méditation et Neurosciences" (University Diploma in Medicine, Meditation and Neuroscience) at the University of Strasbourg, France. 04/2016 Course: "Empathie et Compassion" (Empathy and Compassion) for the "Haute école de travail social et de la santé", Lausanne, Switzerland. 04/2016 Single Lecture: "Compassion et Empathie" (Compassion and Empathy) for undergraduates in psychology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. spring 2016 Seminar: “Emotions et conflits” (Emotions and conflitcs) for Master students of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland. spring 2016 Block Lectures: ”Gehirn und Verhalten“ (Brain and Behavior) at the Institut für Psychologie-Transfer, University of Zurich, Switzerland. 02/2016 Course: "Neuroscience and Conflict Resolution" for the "Leadership in International Security Course" at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland. 01/2016 Course: "Compassion et Neuroscience" (Compassion and Neuroscience) for the "Diplôme Universitaire de Médecine Méditation et Neurosciences" (University Diploma in Medicine, Meditation and Neuroscience) at the University of Strasbourg, France. 10/2015 Single Lecture: "Influence des émotions sur la cognition et la prise de décision" (Influence of emotions on cognition and decision-making) for master students in psychology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Autumn 2015 Block Lectures: ”Empathie Training“ (Empathy Training) at the Institut für Psychologie-Transfer (Institute for Psychology Transfer) in Zurich, Switzerland. Spring 2015 Block Lectures: ”Gehirn und Verhalten“ (Brain and Behavior) at the Institut für Psychologie-Transfer (Institute for Psychology Transfer) in Zurich, Switzerland. January 2017 Curriculum Vitae: Olga Klimecki 7 12/2014 Teaching a one day course on "Compassion et Neuroscience" (Compassion and Neuroscience) for the "Diplôme Universitaire de Médecine Méditation et Neurosciences" (University Diploma in Medicine, Meditation and Neuroscience) at the University of Strasbourg, France. 12/2014 Single Lecture: "Compassion et Empathie" (Compassion and Empathy) for undergraduates in psychology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. 08/2014 Teaching at Summer Research Institute of Mind and Life Europe: "Training Compassion - Effects on Subjective Experience, Prosocial Behavior and Brain Function", Fraueninsel, Chiemsee, Germany. 11/2013 Session: ”Training: Mitgefühl und Empathie aus neuropsychologischer Perspektive“ (Training compassion