Ruth Feldman

Dr Ruth Feldman is the Simms-Mann Professor of Developmental Social Neuroscience at Reichman University, Herzlia, Israel, with joint appointment at Yale Child Study Centre and honorary professorship at University College London. Her pioneering research on synchrony, the role of oxytocin in human bonding, the brain basis of attachment and the effect of early trauma has reshaped our understanding of the biological foundations of love and their lifelong impact. Her tools for coding social behaviour are used in 35 countries. Her interventions are widely applied, and her field studies on parenting and family development in Israel and Palestine informed the “tools of dialogue”, the first synchrony-based intervention to combat hatred among young people. Dr Feldman holds degrees in music, developmental neuroscience, clinical psychology, and developmental psychology and psychopathology. She is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, a highly-cited scientist and has received multiple awards, including the 2020 EMET prize, Israel’s highest prize in arts and sciences.