Asian-American Neuroscientist of the Week (5/11)

Sebastian Seung, a Korean-American, is an interdisciplinary neuroscientist whose career bridges physics, computer science, and neuroscience. Today, he is best known for pioneering the field of connectomics—the effort to map the brain’s wiring, or the connectome. His journey to this point has been anything but ordinary.

Seung entered Harvard University at just sixteen, initially drawn to mathematics and physics. By 1990, he had completed a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, focusing on complex systems such as superconductors and Monte Carlo methods. His early work reflected a deep fascination with how hidden patterns underlie seemingly chaotic phenomena.

After his doctorate, Seung joined Bell Labs. While there, research in neuroscience began to fascinate him. Intrigued, he shifted fields and began applying mathematical and computational approaches to neuroscience—a bold move that would shape his career.

By the early 2000s, Seung had turned his focus to connectomics, the study of how neurons are linked to one another. He argued that a person’s memories, behaviors, and even identity could be traced to the brain’s wiring diagram. Beyond theory, Seung developed innovative tools to advance connectomics. One of his most influential projects is EyeWire, an online game that allows volunteers worldwide to help trace the paths of neurons in the retina. This “citizen science” approach combined crowdsourcing with machine learning, accelerating discoveries while engaging the public in real neuroscience research.

Seung has also been a dedicated educator. From 2005 to 2014, he served as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), before moving to Princeton University, where he continues to lead the Seung Lab. His group develops computational methods to analyze massive brain imaging datasets, uncovering how brain circuits give rise to thought and behavior.

In addition to academia, Seung has extended his expertise into industry. He joined Samsung Research as Chief Research Scientist, leading projects in artificial intelligence and brain-inspired technologies, while maintaining his role at Princeton.

Through his work, Seung has helped establish connectomics as a frontier of neuroscience. His career illustrates how combining the seemingly unrelated fields of physics, computer science, and biology can unlock new ways of understanding the human mind.