On April 15, the MIT Harvard Club Colombia honored Felipe De Brigard with a 2023 Beyond Leadership Award.
Recognizing those who “who have made valuable contributions to society in Colombia,” including “outstanding individuals who have demonstrated creativity, innovation and a commitment to social, economic, or environmental progress in Colombia,” the awards were announced at the MIT Harvard Club Summit in the capital of Bogotá. Featured guests included former president of Colombia and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos, journalist and peace negotiator Mábel Lara and philosopher Daniel Dennett.
De Brigard, the Fuchsberg-Levine Family Associate Professor of Philosophy and Psychology & Neuroscience and a member of both the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Science & Society, has focused on Colombia as part of his research on memory and forgiveness.
Pairing theoretical explorations with empirical studies in Montes de Maria, a rural area in Colombia’s north that has suffered multigenerational conflicts and political violence, De Brigard is searching for “emotional reappraisal” strategies that can lead to social healing.
“Felipe’s research on memory and forgiveness has the power to change the lives of people who have suffered the most terrible violence,” said Katherine Brading, chair of the Department of Philosophy.
“The project reflects the energy and compassion that Felipe brings to his work, as well as Duke University’s commitment to supporting interdisciplinary research targeting some of the world’s most pressing problems. Warm congratulations to Felipe, on behalf of the department, for this well-deserved award.”
Department of Philosophy
