Patrizio Paoletti is the founder of the Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics and the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation for Development and Communication. Paoletti developed the Sphere Model of Consciousness, which has recently been considered the most advanced and elegant neuro-phenomenological model for consciousness. His research interests include the investigation of ‘consciousness-in-itself’, self-awareness and its neurophysiological correlates; sensorimotor paradigms aimed at the development of attention and willpower capacities and their educational applications. Paoletti has created several techniques aimed at enhancing brain functions, including Quadrato Motor Training, a motor training technique that has proven beneficial in developmental disorders and neurodegenerative states. In the educational field, through his numerous teaching projects, Paoletti promotes a global approach to human development in terms of bodily experience, emotion regulation, and the enhancement of attention and self-awareness. The neuroscientific investigation of Paoletti and his Foundation aims at providing scientifically validated educational tools, addressed to different age groups ranging from children to adults, as well as to educational professionals and non-specialised audiences. The Patrizio Paoletti Foundation’s vision takes the form of education for Peace and Awareness as indispensable values for the future of mankind.

Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan, Ph.D., is the director of the Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics (RINED) – Patrizio Paoletti Foundation. Ben-Soussan leads international studies on training and neuroplasticity from neurophysiological and psychobiological perspectives. As a neuroscientist and bio-psychologist, she has published numerous articles on the importance of movement and meditation for improving cognitive and emotional wellbeing. Her pioneering work on the Quadrato Motor Training had led to a significant understanding of the underlying neuronal and biological mechanisms mediating cognitive improvement following movement meditation, for healthy development and aging. Ben-Soussan is fascinated by the topic of consciousness, enhancing cognitive functions and their electrophysiological and molecular correlates. She has dedicated over 20 years to understanding the mechanisms of wellbeing in children and adults and applying them in different settings including schools, hospitals and the workplace. Ben-Soussan is part of the leading think tank of the School Mental Health International Leadership Exchange (SMHILE). Her recent review on the electrophysiological correlates of different states of the self, in relation to different types of meditation and higher states of consciousness, emphasizes the importance of movement for accessing the embodied-self anchored in the here and now, while non-dual practices of transcending the self, allow a greater state of empathy and connection with the other, such as the Quadrato Motor Training and OMM One Minute Mediation, by Patrizio Paoletti. She acts as an editor and reviewer in several renowned journals and coordinates international conferences integrating theoretical, methodological and practical approaches on various topics, such as neuroplasticity, training and neuro-education. She has edited 3 books on the topic of silence in Frontiers in Psychology and Progress in Brain Research.

Luca Simione is an Associate Professor of General Psychology at the University of International Studies of Rome (UNINT). A psychologist and psychotherapist with a humanistic-existential orientation, his research lies within cognitive psychology and the sciences of mind, with particular attention to attentional processes, consciousness, and mindfulness. His studies explore the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying emotional regulation, self-construction, and self–other dynamics, integrating experimental, neuroscientific, and computational methodologies. He is the author of over 100 publications in international peer-reviewed journals and serves as principal or co-principal investigator in several national and international research projects. Since 2023, he has been President of the International Conference on Environmental Mindfulness (ICEM).

Anat Scher, Ph.D. Professor (Emerita) of Developmental Psychology, at the School of Therapy, Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa (Israel). Her main area of research is sleep in early development. Sleep serves as a context for studying development, specifically, the interrelations between sleep and other domains, including emotional, cognitive and motor.

Caterina A. M. La Porta is full professor of General Pathology at the University of Milan, where she leads the Oncolab Laboratory. Her research focuses on cancer and brain systems, combining biology with complex systems approaches to understand cellular dynamics and disease. She has developed innovative computational tools, including ARIADNE and STELLA, to model and quantify the behavior of complex regulatory networks, with applications in cancer heterogeneity, digital medicine and EEG signals. Prof. La Porta is the recipient of several awards and in 2025 was selected by Unesco for the exhibition of Women in Science (Mapping the Complexity in Life). She is author of over 150 publications and the book The Physics of Cancer (Cambridge University Press) and CEO of ComplexData, advancing AI-based solutions.

Stefano Zapperi is full professor of theoretical condensed matter physics at the University of Milano and coordinator of the Center for Complexity and Biosystems. He is an expert in the statistical physics of complex systems and has fostered computational and data driven approaches to materials science and biophysics. Prof. Zapperi is the recipient of numerous awards including the Marie Curie Excellence Award, Humboldt Research Award and an Advanced Grant and Proof of Concept from the European Research Council. He was elected fellow of the American Physical Society and named Finland Distinguished Professor by the Academy of Finland.

Leonardo Lamas is an Associate Professor at the University of Brasília (Brazil), with a focus on movement sciences and neurophysiology. His research focuses on individual and collective dynamics in sports, alongside the integration of movement, embodied cognition, and self-awareness. Currently, as a Visiting Scholar in the Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics (RINED, Italy), his work investigates the effects of sensorimotor training–Quadrato Motor Training– on executive functions, creativity, and consciousness. He also explores how combining sports with self-awareness practices fosters sustainable psychological development and well-being in adolescents.

Over her 16-year career as a researcher, Dr. Nadalin has held leadership positions including Deputy Director of Regional, Urban, and Environmental Studies (2023-2024) and Coordinator of Urban Development Studies (2022-2023) at IPEA. Her research has influenced national urban policies in Brazil, particularly in areas of social housing, urban mobility, and socio-spatial inequalities. Her academic work has been published in prestigious journals including Urban Studies and the Journal of Housing Economics, addressing critical issues such as residential vacancy, urban sprawl, and slum formation in Brazilian cities. She has also led numerous research projects sponsored by Brazilian government agencies, including evaluations of the Minha Casa Minha Vida housing program and studies on accessibility to opportunities in Brazilian cities. Recently she coordinated projects on national housing projections and urban development for Brazil’s Ministry of Cities. Dr. Nadalin spent a year as a Visiting Researcher at UC Irvine (2019-2020).

Psychologist, psychotherapist, supervisor and international trainer. She collaborates with several universities to promote training and research on the constructs of mindfulness, hope, resilience and planning. Since 2008, she has been involved in the design and implementation of interventions and training courses for professionals, teachers and communities, particularly in the context of emergency and social marginalization. She works with trauma patients through EMDR and QMT approaches.