Professor Francis Shen Named Associate Dean for Research & Innovation

Francis Shen, Solly Robins Distinguished Research Fellow and professor of law, has been named Associate Dean for Research & Innovation at the University of Minnesota Law School.

An internationally recognized scholar at the intersection of law, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence, Shen brings a distinguished record of interdisciplinary research, teaching, and academic leadership to the role. As Associate Dean, he will help advance Minnesota Law’s research enterprise and foster a vibrant intellectual community that supports faculty scholarship, collaboration, and interdisciplinary engagement.

Shen is a Member of the Faculty of the University of Minnesota Graduate Program in Neuroscience and co-chair of the University's Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences. He also directs the Shen Neurolaw Lab, whose motto is “Every story is a brain story.”

Shen is a leading scholar in the emerging field of law and neuroscience. His empirical, legal, and ethical research examines how insights from neuroscience and artificial intelligence can make the legal system more just and effective. His work also explores the ethical, legal, and social implications of advances in neurotechnology.

He has co-authored numerous books, including the first Law and Neuroscience casebook, published by Aspen. His most recent book, Brain Science for Lawyers, Judges, and Policymakers, was published by Oxford University Press in 2024. 

In 2021, he received the Early Career Scholars Medal from the American Law Institute, one of two medals awarded every other year. In announcing the honor, the ALI recognized Shen as “a pioneer in establishing the interdisciplinary field of law and neuroscience.”

In his role as associate dean for research and innovation, Shen will work with faculty and colleagues across the Law School to support scholarly research, cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration, and expand opportunities for faculty and students to engage with the ideas shaping law and society.

Congratulations, Professor Shen!