Neuroscience in the Media

Dr. Lambert has written articles and been interviewed about her research in numerous publications such as Scientific American Mind, Discover Magazine, and The New York Times, and she has been featured on many media formats including CBS Sunday Morning, TEDx Bermuda, National Geographic Radio Show, the Martha Stewart Radio Show, Public Radio’s To the Best of our Knowledge, and WIRED.
See a list of articles and interviews below.

Neuroscience Has Discovered ‘Behaviorceuticals’ That Improve Brain Health and Mood Like a Natural Antidepressant.

November 20, 2024. Article about Kelly’s research in Inc. Magazine.
READ HERE

After Teaching Rats to Drive, Neuroscientists Uncovered How Anticipating Joy Can Enhance Life

November 14, 2024. Rats will choose to take a longer route if it means they get to enjoy the ride to their destination. By Kelly Lambert in Discover Magazine.
READ HERE

I’m a Neuroscientist Who Taught Rats to Drive − Their Joy Suggests How Anticipating Fun Can Enrich Human Life

November 11, 2024. Article by Kelly Lambert in The Conversation.
READ HERE

I Taught Rats to Drive Cars But They Taught Me to Enjoy the Ride

November 8, 2024. Interview on The Washington Post. A neuroscientist on lessons learned from teaching rodents to drive cars.
READ HERE

Neuroscience & The Power of Hands-On Learning

Jun 12, 2024. Anatomy in Clay® Learning System podcast, a chat with a renowned brain and neuroscience researcher Dr. Kelly Lambert, on the power of hands-on learning. WATCH HERE.

Working With Your Hands Is Good for Your Brain

March 28, 2024. Activities like writing, gardening, and knitting can improve your cognition and mood. Tapping, typing and scrolling? Less so. Read the New York Times article. READ HERE.

Mental and Physical Benefits of Crafting / Effort Based Rewards

Feb 16, 2024. Interview with Dr. Kelly Lambert into the intricate relationship between our hands and our brains on the Dreaming Tree video podcast. WATCH HERE.

Brain Health as Depression Prevention

Jul 19, 2023. Interview with Dr. Kelly Lambert on Fleet Maull’s Radical Responsibility Podcast. LISTEN HERE.

Rats!

Apr 1, 2023. An interview with Dr. Kelly Lambert on the cognitive abilities of rats on Arden Moore’s Four- Legged Life channel. WATCH HERE.

Neuroplasticity: How to rewire your brain (BBC video)

February 23, 2022. Scientists once thought that the brain was locked in place after puberty. But, new technology shows that our brain continues to rewire itself and never stops changing as we age. WATCH HERE.

Netflix Series “The Hidden Lives of Pets” (Intelligence Episode)

2022. University of Richmond’s driving rats are no stranger to the national — and even international – spotlight. The latest showcase of their skills is being featured in a new Netflix series — “The Hidden Lives of Pets” — as part of the Intelligence episode. WATCH HERE.

Learn more in an article on the University of Richmond’s newsroom website page.

CBC GEM TV Show; The Nature of Things

2022. The ‘Rat City’ episode of The Nature of Things highlights the work of the Lambert Lab in training rats to drive miniature cars. Kelly and her team have made some remarkable discoveries: not only does driving act as a stressbuster for the rats, but it also improves their brains’ ability to change and adapt. The results may lead to a better understanding of numerous neurodegenerative disorders and diseases such as ADHD and Alzheimer’s. WATCH HERE.

Why Raccoons Are Re-Emerging From the Trash Bin of Brain Science

Nov 23, 2022. Daniela Hernandez, a Wall Street Journal health and science reporter, shares this video from her YouTube channel in which she explains how raccoon brains stack up to human ones and why they’re becoming increasingly important in lab experiments, such as those by the Lambert Lab. Daniela’s original article can be found on the Wall Street Journal website. WATCH HERE.

An Old-Fashioned Remedy for Depression with Dr. Kelly Lambert

Sep 19, 2022. Interview with Dr. Kelly Lambert on Jill Winger’s Old Fashioned On Purpose channel. WATCH HERE.

Improve Your Brain By Changing Your Behavior

Feb 19, 2021. Kelly Lambert Discusses the impacts that our experiences and environment might have on our mental resilience, stress, anxiety, and general cognitive function on the Escaped Sapiens channel. WATCH HERE.

Baylor University 2024 Cherry Award Finalist

Kelly has been nominated as a finalist in Baylor University’s Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. The Cherry Award program is designed to honor great teachers, to stimulate discussion in the academy about the value of teaching, and to encourage departments and institutions to value their own great teachers. The recipient of the Cherry Award will receive a prize of $250,000 and will teach in-residence at Baylor University during an upcoming semester.
Learn more about Baylor University’s Cherry Award

Brain Sculpting: Stranger Than Fiction Tales of Neuroplasticity

October 30, 2023.Cherry Award 2023 Finalists Public Lecture by Dr. Kelly Lambert

Improving Our Neuroplasticity | Dr. Kelly Lambert | TEDxBermuda.  

February 3rd, 2020. TEDX talk by Kelly Lambert in Bermuda. WATCH HERE.

Rat Driving Project

Our Rat Driving Project has received a LOT of attention! Watch the videos and read the articles below.

Neuroscientist Explains Why These Rats Drive Tiny Cars

November 1, 2019. WIRED Magazine YouTube video interview. WATCH HERE.

Scientists taught rats to drive little rat-sized cars

October 23, 2019. CNN article. READ HERE.

Rats taught how to drive little cars

March 19, 2019. BBC News. WATCH HERE.

Rats are capable of driving tiny cars, researchers found. It eases their anxiety.

October 24, 2019. The Washington Post article READ HERE.

Scientists taught rats how To drive tiny cars

October 23, 2019. NPR interview. LISTEN HERE.

Scientists have trained rats to drive tiny cars to collect food

October 22, 2019.New Scientist article. READ HERE.

Watch these lab rats drive tiny cars to get Froot Loops

October 26, 2019. NBC News. WATCH HERE.

Rats have been trained to drive cars for science

October 23, 2019. Newsweek article. READ HERE.

The Late, Late Show with James Corden

October 23, 2019. WATCH HERE. (at time stamp 3:40)

National Public Radio’s Wait,Wait…Don’t Tell Me

October 26, 2019. LISTEN HERE.

Scientists Taught Rats How to Drive Little Rat-Sized Cars & It May Have Implications for Human Health

October 24, 2019. People Magazine article. READ HERE.

Scientists Taught Rats How To Drive, This Is What They Learned

October 25, 2019.Forbes Magazine article. READ HERE.

Rats Can Drive Now

October 24, 2019. Popular Mechanics article. READ HERE.

They Taught Rats How To Drive

October 22, 2019. Jalopnik article. READ HERE.

Rats taught to drive tiny cars and collect food by researchers in Virginia

October 24, 2019. Link to The Times article. READ HERE.

U.S. researchers taught rats to drive tiny cars by rewarding them with food

October 25, 2019. National Post article. READ HERE.

Rats trained to drive tiny cars, find it relaxing

October 24, 2019. The Times of Israel article, READ HERE.

Rats Relax While Driving Cars for Froot Loops

October 29, 2019. News For Kids article. READ HERE.

Articles and Presentations by Dr. Kelly Lambert

Neuroplasticity: How to rewire your brain

March 5, 2021. interview on BBC Reel. WATCH HERE.

How Can We Learn about Our Brains... via a Rat's Brain!?

Mar 2, 2021. Interview on Matthew Newell’s Podcast. WATCH HERE.

Kelly Lambert: Enhancing cognitive function through behavior.

February 19, 2021. Interview on Escaped Sapiens Podcast. WATCH HERE.

Lab Rats Confirm that Harry and Meghan Made the Right Move

February 18, 2020. Article in Elemental. READ HERE.

The Neuroscience of Good Decision-Making

 June 21, 2019. Article in Management Today. READ HERE.

The Prosperous Brain

November 18, 2018. Article in Yale University Press Blog. READ HERE.

How busy hands can alter our brain chemistry

March 18th, 2018. Interview on CBS News. READ HERE.

Online Lectures

July, 2016. What is biological psychology or behavioral neuroscience? WATCH HERE.

July, 2016. How do parenting and the environment affect brain development? WATCH HERE.
 

July, 2016. Teaching biological psychology. WATCH HERE.

July, 2016. Brain scene investigations, illustrations, and other features of Biological Psychology. WATCH HERE.

July, 2016. The importance of learning about the brain. WATCH HERE.

May, 2016. Women in STEM Speaker Series, 2016: "The Neurobiology of Real Life: Lessons from Rats, Brains and Never-ending Uncertainties." WATCH HERE.

August, 2014. IBNS Symposium Lecture, 2014: "The Effects of Natural and Artificial Environments on Biomarkers of Emotional Resilience." WATCH HERE.

Media pieces highlighting research from the Lambert Lab

The New York Times, Working With Your Hands Is Good for Your Brain, (March, 2024). READ HERE.

The Telegraph, I built a boat from scratch and rewired my whole brain, (Jan, 2024). READ HERE.

The Times of India, Be Your Own Prozac, (Oct 26, 2014). READ HERE.

The Washington Post, With exposure to babies, rodent dads’ brains, like moms’ become wired for nurture (June 13, 2013). READ HERE.

Big Picture Science, Oh Rats! (2012). READ HERE.

Articles written for more mainstream sources:

The University of Richmond Magazine. The Grand Experiment: Are our brains outsmarting themselves? A Richmond researcher and her rats say maybe. By Caroline Kettlewell (2018). READ HERE.

The Hollywood Reporter. Why Hollywood Insiders Aren't Equipped to Deal with Anxiety, by Dr. Lambert (2018). READ HERE.

Aleteia. Your Brain is Happier When You Do This Type of Work, by Calah Alexander (2018). READ HERE.

Family Circle, Make Time for Painting, Interview with Dr. Lambert (2018). READ HERE.

Gymratz Cartoon, inspired by the neuroscience research of Dr. Lambert (2018). READ HERE.
A big thanks to Karen Roehr, Associate Professor in the Dept of Art and Design, Univ of Massachusetts, Lowell, for including our work in her clever GymRatz comic strip! READ HERE.

New York Times,Santa on the Brain  (Dec 21, 2013). READ HERE.

Scientific American Mind-A Tale of 2 Rodents. Rats teach a neuroscientist lessons of love-or at least sex (September 30, 2011). READ HERE.

New York Post, Rats! (July 10, 2011). READ HERE.

The Washington Post review of The Lab Rat Chronicles (June 13,2011). READ HERE.

National Geographic Radio "Weekend" interview with Boyd Matson(June 13,2011). READ HERE.

Journal of Visualized Experiments: Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses (Sept. 19,2011). READ HERE.

Whole Living, Body + Soul, DIY Therapy: How Handiwork Can Treat Depression (June 2010). READ HERE.

Wisconsin Public Radio's  'To the Best of our Knowledge',  Kelly Lambert on the Healing Power of Craft (Oct. 4, 2009). READ HERE.

Scientific American Mind, Depressingly Easy (2008). READ HERE.

Scientific American Mind, Brain Stains: Traumatic therapies can have long-lasting effects on mental health.
Kelly Lambert and Scott Lilenfeld (October 2007). READ HERE.

The Observer (UK)  Want to boost your brain power? Just have a baby (January 2006). READ HERE.