# Moran Cerf

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American-French-Israeli neuroscientist and business professor

Moran Cerf מורן סרף Born 1977 (age 48–49) Paris, France Citizenship French, Israeli, American Alma mater Tel Aviv University (BS, MA) Caltech (PhD) Occupations Neuroscientist, white hat hacker Known for Research on applications of neuroscience in business; Studying humans with electrodes inside their brain during surgery; Science consulting in films; brains; Dream research; Free will; Consciousness; Neural correlates of engagement in the brain; Website morancerf.com

**Moran Cerf** ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): מורן סרף; born 1977) is an American-French-Israeli [neuroscientist](/source/Neuroscientist), professor of business (at Columbia University), investor and former [white hat hacker](/source/White_hat_hacker).[1][2]

He is the [founder](/source/Organizational_founder) of Think-Alike and B-Cube and the host and curator of PopTech,[3][4] one of the top 5 leading conferences in the world.[5] Cerf is also the president and [co-founder](/source/Co-founder) of the Human Single Neuron society.[6] As of 2013, he is a member of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems.[7]

Cerf has received numerous awards including the [Templeton Foundation](/source/Templeton_Foundation) "Extraordinary Minds" award, and the Chicagoan award. In 2016 he was named one of the "40 Leading Professors Below 40".[8] He has won several national storytelling competitions, most notably [The Moth](/source/The_Moth) [GrandSLAM](/source/The_Moth#StorySLAMS_and_GrandSLAMS), multiple times.

Cerf is the [Alfred P. Sloan](/source/Alfred_P._Sloan) [screenwriting](/source/Screenwriting) professor at the [American Film Institute](/source/American_Film_Institute) (AFI) where he teaches an annual workshop on science in films.[9] He is also a science consultant to [Hollywood films](/source/Hollywood_films) and TV series (*[Limitless](/source/Limitless_(TV_series))*, *[Bull](/source/Bull_(2016_TV_series))*, *[Falling Water](/source/Falling_Water_(TV_series))*, etc.).[10]

He has spoken publicly on topics of [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience), business, decision making and [hacking](/source/Cybercrime) ([TED](/source/TED_(conference)), PopTech, [Google](/source/Google), [TEDx](/source/TEDx), [TED-Ed](/source/TED-Ed))[11] and his views on the risks of hacking into humans' brains often appear in the media.[4][12][13][14][15][16]

## Early life and background

Cerf was born in Paris, France, to a Jewish family, and raised in Israel. As a young child he was an art prodigy, attending the Israeli School of Arts. He appeared in many [Israeli TV](/source/Israeli_TV) shows for children when young, which garnered him attention in Israel. In 2002, he had one of the first podcasts in the world, where he hosted a weekly [radio show](/source/Radio_show).

As a young child, Cerf became an avid [programmer](/source/Programmer) and was part of a small community of hackers that paved the road to online [white hat hacking](/source/White_hat_(computer_security)).[17][18][1]

## Education

Cerf holds a [Bachelor of Science](/source/Bachelor_of_Science) in [Physics](/source/Physics) (1998–2000), and a [Master's Degree in Philosophy](/source/Master_of_Philosophy) (2000) from [Tel Aviv University](/source/Tel_Aviv_University).

In 2002, he received the prestigious Presidential Scholarship award in Israel while originally pursuing a [PhD](/source/PhD) in [philosophy](/source/Philosophy).[19] In 2005 he shifted to neuroscience, and ultimately completed a PhD in neuroscience at [Caltech](/source/Caltech) (2009).

While pursuing his studies, Cerf worked as a [white hat hacker](/source/White_hat_hacker) in the emerging Israeli [cybersecurity](/source/Cybersecurity) industry,[20] performing [penetration tests](/source/Penetration_test) for banks and government institutes. He attributes much of his understanding of the brain and the way he researches to his time spent breaking codes and performing penetration tests. A single meeting with the late [Francis Crick](/source/Francis_Crick) where the two discussed the importance of "using hacking skills to study the most interesting vault in the world – our brain" made Prof. Cerf leave his senior business post and pursue full-time PhD at [Caltech](/source/Caltech), under Prof. [Christof Koch](/source/Christof_Koch).[18][21]

Cerf completed his PhD at [Caltech](/source/Caltech) during 2005–2009 and worked on one of the flagship projects in [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience): "Single Neuron Recording in Humans". This project involves studying humans using direct recordings from their brain while they are awake with electrodes implanted inside their heads. This unique research setup gained him worldwide recognition and resulted in some of the widely cited publications that positioned Cerf at the forefront of neuroscience research.[22]

Following his time at [Caltech](/source/Caltech) Professor Cerf moved to [NYU](/source/NYU), where he spent three years studying what makes content engaging and looking for ways to translate his neuroscience research to a broader audience. It is the time there that he attributes to his interest in finding ways to understand how to translate brain research to applications and the need to work together with the business world to communicate science.[23][24][25][2]

Following his time at [NYU](/source/NYU) studying engagement, and with the growth of public attention to his work (in part due to his repeated wins of the Moth Grandslam story-telling competition,[26][27][28] where he discussed the behind the scenes of [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience)), Prof. Cerf became a public figure in the [science communication](/source/Science_communication) sphere where his talks garnered a large following.[29]

In 2014 Cerf was appointed as a professor at the [Kellogg School of Management](/source/Kellogg_School_of_Management), where he holds positions as both a business and neuroscience professor.[30]

In 2016 he joined the [MIT Media Lab](/source/MIT_Media_Lab) as a visiting professor, where he started his work on dream recording and manipulation.[31]

## Notable research

Cerf is well known for his research on consciousness and projecting people's thoughts and dreams directly from their brain,[32][33][34] his research on free will,[35] his ideas on the future of humans[36][37] and the ability to hack our brains, and for his work in the [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) in marketing. Applications include predicting people's interest and engagement with content by observing their neural responses.[38] For this work, he was named by Prof. [Phil Kotler](/source/Philip_Kotler) (father of modern marketing) "the next leader in marketing".[39] He is a frequent contributor to "[Business Insider](/source/Business_Insider)",[40][41] "[Forbes](/source/Forbes)"[42] and various other popular media journals where he writes on topics in [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) and business and ways to implement science in decision-making.[43][44][45][46]

In his 2016 [TED talk](/source/TED_talk), Cerf discussed a method for extraction of dreams which he was rumored to turn into a company, Dream-Alike. Similar mention of his work on projecting thoughts was later discussed in a blog post at ‘[Wait But Why](/source/Wait_But_Why)’.[47]

## Career

Prior to his academic career, Cerf held positions in [pharmaceutical](/source/Pharmaceutical), telecommunications, fashion, [software development](/source/Software_development), and innovative research fields.

### Hacking

Cerf spent nearly a decade working as a computer system hacker, breaking into financial and government institutes to test and improve their security.[48]

As a hacker, Cerf was first working for [Check Point](/source/Check_Point),[49] and later started his own for-hire ‘white hat’ hackers team that helped business secure their systems from [malevolent hackers](/source/Black_hat_(computer_security)). His team later integrated into the ADC (Advanced Defense Center) at a then-startup company called [Imperva](/source/Imperva) (now a [NASDAQ](/source/NASDAQ) traded company) where Cerf ran the ADC and spent a number of years before leaving for academia, holding various managerial positions.[50]

Some of Cerf's stories about hacking and his experiences as a hacker were included in various films and became the basis for his worldwide acclaim.[51][19][52]

### Neuroscience

In an interview with [Forbes](/source/Forbes), Professor Cerf attributed his success as a [neuroscientist](/source/Neuroscientist) to his hacking background, saying the non-traditional tools he uses to investigate the brain and his creative way of thinking about black boxes borrows from his time breaking codes. Cerf is known for his pioneering work studying patients undergoing [brain-surgery](/source/Brain_surgery), which allows him to investigate [behavior](/source/Behavior), [emotion](/source/Emotion), [decision making](/source/Decision_making), and [dreams](/source/Dreams) by directly recording the activity of individual neurons using electrodes implanted in the patient's brain.[21][35][22][2]

As a business professor, Cerf's work focuses on drivers of decision-making in [consumer neuroscience](/source/Consumer_neuroscience), and using [neuro-marketing](/source/Neuromarketing) techniques to gain insights about [consumer behavior](/source/Consumer_behavior).[53][54] He is an associate editor for several scholarly journals in both business and [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) and a consultant for companies in many industries, including automotive ([Ferrari](/source/Ferrari)), performance ([Red Bull](/source/Red_Bull)), finance ([TransUnion](/source/TransUnion)), and relationships ([Tinder](/source/Tinder_(app))).[55][34]

### Hollywood

Since 2007, Cerf has held a permanent appointment at the [American Film Institute](/source/American_Film_Institute) (AFI)[56] as the [Alfred P. Sloan](/source/Alfred_P._Sloan) Professor, where he teaches an annual workshop on [science communication](/source/Science_communication) in film and TV. Through this workshop he has worked on various films and TV shows.[57][10] He also organizes the annual Sloan seminar, where he has held public discussions on [science communication](/source/Science_communication) with Hollywood figures like [Ann Druyan](/source/Ann_Druyan) (*[Cosmos](/source/Cosmos%3A_A_Personal_Voyage)*),[58] [Michelle Ashford](/source/Michelle_Ashford) (*[Masters of Sex](/source/Masters_of_Sex)*), [Whitney Cummings](/source/Whitney_Cummings) (*[Whitney](/source/Whitney_(TV_series))*, *[2 Broke Girls](/source/2_Broke_Girls)*),[59] [Giancarlo Esposito](/source/Giancarlo_Esposito) (*[Breaking Bad](/source/Breaking_Bad)*),[60] [Jake Gyllenhaal](/source/Jake_Gyllenhaal) (*[Donnie Darko](/source/Donnie_Darko)*),[61] [Len Mlodinow](/source/Leonard_Mlodinow) (ghost writer of [Stephen Hawking](/source/Stephen_Hawking)'s books and writer on *[MacGyver](/source/MacGyver_(1985_TV_series))*), [Andy Serkis](/source/Andy_Serkis)[62] (*[King Kong](/source/King_Kong_(2005_film))*, Gollum in *[Lord of the Rings](/source/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(film_series))*), [Michael Begler](/source/Michael_Begler) and [Jack Amiel](/source/Jack_Amiel) (*[The Knick](/source/The_Knick)*), [Clifford Johnson](/source/Clifford_V._Johnson) ([theoretical physicist](/source/Theoretical_physicist)) and more.[9]

## Books

- Competition and Attention in the Human Brain: Single neuron recordings and eye-tracking in healthy controls and subjects with neurological and psychiatric disorders, Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9783844309591](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9783844309591)

- Single Neuron Studies of the Human Brain: Probing Cognition, co-authored with Itzhak Fried and Ueli Rutishauser and Gabriel Kreiman, The MIT Press, 2014, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780262323994](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780262323994)

- Consumer Neuroscience, MIT Press, 2017, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780262036597](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780262036597)

- Foresight, Northwestern University, 2017, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1983736643](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1983736643)

## Awards and recognition

- 2016: 40 Leading Professors Below 40[7]

- 2010, 2016: 2 times US champion of the Moth Grand-Slam[63]

## Filmography

Year Film 2016 Limitless 2016 Bull 2016 Mr. Robot 2016 Falling Water 2016 Clarity 2017 Impact Theory 2019 The Chef[64] 2021 Israelis who change the world (Episode 3: Moran's Brain)[65] 2021 Gutfeld! 2021 The Mind, Explained 2022 Inside the Mind of a Con Artist[66] 2022 The Future Of[67]

## Philanthropy

In 2018, Cerf founded B-Cube, a non-profit that helps organizations use advances in [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) to change behavior. While B-Cube's endeavors are not public, it is estimated that they invested shy of $12M in 2018 in their projects.[68] B-Cube has worked with [Ferrari](/source/Ferrari) (on improving [risk assessment](/source/Risk_assessment) in driving), with [SS&C](/source/SS%26C_Technologies) (on ways to improve learning in classrooms), with [Viacom](/source/Viacom_(2005%E2%80%93present)) (on applications of [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) to entertainment) and with Founders Pledge (on using [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) for [social good](/source/Social_good)).[4]

As Cerf is the host and curator of PopTech[3] and responsible for their fellows program, B-Cube may also be involved in the PopTech mission for social good promotion through technology.

Cerf has spoken at the [UN](/source/UN) and various organizations on ways to use [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) and research to promote young individuals’ rise out of poverty, on the ethics of using [neuroscience](/source/Neuroscience) to prevent threats to democracy and on the dangers of the attention economy.[53][69][70]

## Government

Cerf worked with the [United States Digital Service](/source/United_States_Digital_Service) (USDS) under [President Obama](/source/President_Obama), and continued working with [18F](/source/18F) during the [Trump administration](/source/First_presidency_of_Donald_Trump). His work focused on [cybersecurity](/source/Cybersecurity), in particular the ‘[login.gov](/source/Login.gov)’ project.[71]

## Personal life

In 2017, Cerf dated actress [Ashley Judd](/source/Ashley_Judd). They were last seen together at the [Sundance Film Festival](/source/Sundance_Film_Festival). In 2011–2012 Cerf dated actress [Kristina Anapau](/source/Kristina_Anapau) (*[True Blood](/source/True_Blood)*).[72] In 2016, Cerf was selected as one of [Elle Magazine](/source/Elle_(magazine))’s most eligible bachelors.[73]

In his free time, Cerf is a pilot of private [jets](/source/Jet_aircraft) and [helicopters](/source/Helicopters).[1]

## Board and other posts

- [Board member](/source/Board_member), Chicago Ideas

- [Host](/source/Hospitality) and curator, PopTech

- [Co-founder](/source/Co-founder), Human Intracranial Research Foundation

- [Board member](/source/Board_member), VR Americas

- [Co-Founder](/source/Organizational_founder), ThinkAlike

- Founder (rumored), DreamAlike

- [Presidential Innovation Fellow](/source/Presidential_Innovation_Fellow), White House USDS/18F

- [Founder](/source/Organizational_founder), B-Cube

## See also

- [List of neuroscientists](/source/List_of_neuroscientists)

- [List of hackers](/source/List_of_hackers)

- [David Eagleman](/source/David_Eagleman)

- [Dan Ariely](/source/Dan_Ariely)

- [Bryan Johnson (entrepreneur)](/source/Bryan_Johnson_(entrepreneur))

- [Elon Musk](/source/Elon_Musk)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-haaretz_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-haaretz_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-haaretz_1-2) Limone, Noa (January 6, 2012). ["Israeli Hacker Turned Brain Researcher Making Waves"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181229122009/https://www.haaretz.com/1.5160337). *[Haaretz](/source/Haaretz)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.haaretz.com/1.5160337) on December 29, 2018.

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Moran_Cerf-PopTech_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Moran_Cerf-PopTech_3-1) ["Moran Cerf-PopTech"](https://poptech.org/instigator/moran-cerf/).

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-northwestern_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-northwestern_10-1) ["Moran Cerf Faculty – Kellogg School of Management"](https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/cerf_moran.aspx). *[Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University)*.

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-zdnet_18-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-zdnet_18-1) Sherwood, Christina (July 15, 2013). ["Q&A: Moran Cerf, hacker-turned-neuroscientist, on controlling the human brain"](https://www.zdnet.com/article/qa-moran-cerf-hacker-turned-neuroscientist-on-controlling-the-human-brain/). *[ZDNet](/source/ZDNet)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cyberweek_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cyberweek_19-1) ["Prof. Moran Cerf – Professor of Neuroscience"](https://cyberweek.tau.ac.il/2016/speakers/66-prof-moran-cerf). *[Cyber Monday](/source/Cyber_Monday)*.

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-successpodcast_21-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-successpodcast_21-1) ["Real Life Inception – From Bank Robbery to Neuroscience with Dr. Moran Cerf"](https://www.successpodcast.com/show-notes/2018/6/27/real-life-inception-from-bank-robbery-to-neuroscience-with-dr-moran-cerf). *The Science of Success Podcast*. June 28, 2018.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** ["Moran Cerf Ph.D – NUIN"](http://www.nuin.northwestern.edu/members-2/cerf/). *[Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University)*.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-49)** ["Israeli Hacker Turned Brain Researcher Making Waves"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181229122009/https://www.haaretz.com/1.5160337). *[Haaretz](/source/Haaretz)*. January 6, 2012. Archived from [the original](https://www.haaretz.com/1.5160337) on December 29, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-50)** ["Moran Cerf – Digital Life Design"](https://dld-conference.com/users/moran-cerf). *[Digital Life Design](/source/Digital_Life_Design)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-51)** ["This Neuroscientist Thinks He Knows the Future of Human Evolution, and It Will Surprise and Inspire You"](https://www.inc.com/jon-levy/this-neuroscientist-thinks-he-knows-the-future-of-.html). *[Inc.](/source/Inc._(magazine))* September 19, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-52)** ["Monitoring Moviegoers' Brains Can Predict Box Office Success"](https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/neuroscience-can-predict-movie-sales). *[Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University)*. August 3, 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nti_53-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nti_53-1) ["NTI Seminar: Neuroscientist Moran Cerf on How the Brain Processes Risk"](https://www.nti.org/analysis/atomic-pulse/nti-seminar-neuroscientist-moran-cerf-how-brain-processes-risk/). *[Nuclear Threat Initiative](/source/Nuclear_Threat_Initiative)*. December 21, 2018.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-56)** ["MASTERS OF SEX creator Michelle Ashford on replicating "The Ulysses""](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1rdXbRa_YE). *[American Film Institute](/source/American_Film_Institute)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-57)** ["Brain Dead: Interview with Dr. Moran Cerf"](http://scienceandfilm.org/articles/2939/brain-dead-interview-with-dr-moran-cerf). *Sloan Science & Film*. July 20, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-58)** ["Writer and Director Ann Druyan describes Seth MacFarlane's contributions to the 2014 COSMOS Series"](http://video.afi.com/videos/play/isgiPAbVpsc/writer-and-director-ann-druyan-describes-seth-macfarlanes-contributions-to-the-2014-cosmos-series/). *[American Film Institute](/source/American_Film_Institute)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-59)** ["Whitney Cummings + Moran Cerf: The Future of The Female Brain"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA626skVRpk). *[Rubin Museum of Art](/source/Rubin_Museum_of_Art)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-60)** ["The Actor: Giancarlo Esposito + Moran Cerf"](http://rubinmuseum.org/events/event/the-actor-giancarlo-esposito-moran-cerf). *[Rubin Museum of Art](/source/Rubin_Museum_of_Art)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-61)** ["An Actor's Dream Jake Gyllenhaal + Moran Cerf"](http://rubinmuseum.org/events/event/an-actors-dream-jake-gyllenhaal-moran-cerf-03-16-2015). *[Rubin Museum of Art](/source/Rubin_Museum_of_Art)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-62)** ["Andy Serkis on Finding Gollum's Voice"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re8eISermgY). *[American Film Institute](/source/American_Film_Institute)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-63)** ["Moran Cerf – World Science Festival"](https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/participants/moran_cerf/page/7/). *[World Science Festival](/source/World_Science_Festival)*.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-73)** ["Meet ELLE.com's 41 Most Eligible Bachelors"](https://www.elle.com/life-love/sex-relationships/reviews/g25713/elles-most-eligible-bachelors/?slide=30). *[Elle](/source/Elle_(magazine))*. February 14, 2015.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Moran Cerf](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Moran_Cerf).

- [Moran Cerf's official website](https://www.morancerf.com/)

- [Moran Cerf, Le "Hacker" Du Cerveau](https://www.forbes.fr/technologie/moran-cerf-le-hacker-du-cerveau/)

- [Moran Cerf](https://tedlive.ted.com/webcasts/2016/session/228) at *[TED (conference)](/source/TED_(conference))*

- [B-Cube](https://brain-behavior-business.com)

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States Netherlands Israel Academics CiNii Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Moran Cerf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moran_Cerf) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moran_Cerf?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.