The Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) prepares experienced professionals to become leaders in brain health and dementia worldwide. As one of seven Atlantic Fellows programs and one of the program's two founding fellowship sites, UCSF offers a global hybrid learning experience that combines online education, international in-person workshops, and a residential learning experience in San Francisco.
Grounded in the clinical and research excellence of the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, the fellowship brings together professionals from diverse disciplines to deepen their understanding of brain health, strengthen their leadership, and translate knowledge into meaningful action in their communities and beyond.
A Global Fellowship for Experienced Leaders
Improving brain health requires expertise from many fields. The Atlantic Fellows program welcomes professionals from disciplines including medicine, nursing, neuroscience, psychology, public health, journalism, engineering, policymaking, education, the arts, entrepreneurship, community leadership, and advocacy.
Rather than training participants for new careers, the fellowship builds on each fellow's existing expertise. Through interdisciplinary learning, mentorship, and collaboration, fellows gain new knowledge, leadership skills, and a global network that helps amplify the impact of their work.
Learning at UCSF
GBHI is embedded within the Fein Memory and Aging Center, giving fellows access to one of the world's leading centers for dementia care and brain health research. Throughout the fellowship, participants learn alongside internationally recognized faculty while engaging with researchers, clinicians, educators, artists, policymakers, and people living with dementia.
The fellowship includes:
- A year-long global hybrid learning experience based at UCSF
- Interactive online coursework and international in-person workshops
- A residential learning experience in San Francisco
- Interdisciplinary education in brain health, dementia, leadership, and health equity
- Clinical observations and case-based learning
- Mentorship from GBHI faculty and regional mentors
- Leadership and professional development
- Opportunities to engage with research, innovation, and international collaborators
- Eligibility to apply for competitive Pilot Awards that support brain health projects in fellows' home communities
- A UCSF Certificate in Equity in Brain Health upon successful completion
Research and Clinical Excellence
Research is central to the fellowship experience. Fellows participate in seminars, laboratory meetings, grand rounds, and interdisciplinary discussions exploring advances in dementia, neuroscience, and brain health. These experiences help fellows translate research into action across clinical care, public health, policy, education, advocacy, and the arts.
A Global Community
Atlantic Fellows come from more than 65 countries and represent a wide range of professions and lived experiences. Each cohort brings together diverse perspectives that enrich learning, inspire innovation, and foster lasting collaborations across disciplines and regions.
After completing the fellowship, graduates join a network of more than 300 Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, as well as the broader Atlantic Fellows community, creating opportunities for continued learning, partnership, and collective action.
A Global Community of Leaders
Atlantic Fellows come from more than 65 countries and represent professions including medicine, nursing, neuroscience, psychology, public health, journalism, engineering, policymaking, the arts, community leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.
The diversity of each fellowship cohort is one of the program's greatest strengths. Fellows learn from one another's experiences, develop collaborations across sectors, and become part of a lifelong global community committed to advancing brain health equity.
Graduates join a network of more than 300 Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health and the broader Atlantic Fellows community, creating opportunities for continued learning, partnership, and collective action long after the fellowship year ends.