“Our past is a fictional representation, and the only thing we can be even somewhat sure of is what is happening now. It encourages us to live in the moment and not to place too much importance on our past. It forces us to accept that the best time of our lives, and our memory, is right now.”
Julia Shaw is a psychological scientist and senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Law and Social Sciences at London South Bank University.
She is best know for her work in the areas of memory and criminal psychology. In 2017 Shaw cofounded the memory science and artificial intelligence start-up Spot. Spot helps employees report workplace harassment and discrimination, and empowers organizations to build a more inclusive and respectful work environment.
In 2016 Shaw published her bestselling book “The Memory Illusion“, which has been translated into 18 languages. Her second book, due in 2019 is entitled “Making Evil: The Science Behind Humanity’s Dark Side”. Dr. Shaw is also a regular contributor to the popular science magazine Scientific American, hosting a series on how our memories can mislead us called “Memory Mondays”.
Shaw consults as an expert on criminal cases, delivers police training and military workshops, has evaluated offender diversion programs, and works to ensure best practices for dealing with vulnerable populations in business settings. She is also on the board of the European Association of Psychology and Law.
Her work has been featured in outlets such as Discovery Channel, BBC, CNN World, Der Spiegel, Russia Today, New York Magazine, The Times, The Telegraph, NPR, The Daily Mail, Pour le Science, and The Sun.