Integrating Consciousness Science with Cognitive Neuroscience: An Introduction to the Special Focus

Consciousness science is experiencing a coming-of-age moment. Following 3 decades of sustained efforts by a relatively small group of consciousness researchers, the field has seen exponential growth over the past 5 years. It is increasingly recognized that although the investigation of subjective experiences is a difficult task, modern neuroscience need not and cannot shy away from the challenge of peeling away the mysteries of conscious experiences. In June 2023, with the joint support of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Science Foundation, a 3-day workshop was held at the Bethesda, MD, campus of the National Institutes of Health, convening experts whose work focuses primarily on problems of consciousness, or an adjacent field, to discuss the current state of consciousness science and consider the most fruitful avenues for future research. This Special Focus features empirical and theoretical contributions from some of the invited speakers at the workshop. Here, I will cover the scope of the workshop, the content of this Special Focus, and advocate for stronger bridges between consciousness science and other subdisciplines of cognitive neuroscience.