fxshen

It's official. I've entered the race for Hennepin County Attorney. Our focus: SAFETY. Learn more in this Star-Tribune article and at ShenForSafety.org. #ShenForSafety on all socials. See you on the campaign trail! startribune.com/university-of-…

What makes a brain healthy? This was the question our community came together to discuss at our recent Brain Health Fair. Over 200 people came through the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) to learn and share stories about brain health. From developing brains through aging brains, covering addiction, mental health, and so much more, the event was a huge success. We had 30 tables, six lightning talks, hundreds of delicious waffles, and a lot of fun as we explored the mysteries of the brain and mind. Over the next few weeks I will highlight some of the awesome content our community partners and campus experts shared at the Fair. Stay tuned for the Six Pillars of Brain Health and insights on sound therapy. But today I write in gratitude for the many people and organizations who made this possible. I have never participated in a more energized, informative, and inviting neuroscience program. Here's a challenge: check out our big group photo, and compare it to the photos you see of most neuroscience programming. Notice any differences? Special thanks to our Director of Community Engagement John Bartee III for leading our canvassing (over 1,200 doors!), and to Kara, Jen, and the UROC team for their collaborative partnership. I will also share more in the coming weeks on strategies that can be replicated so that events like this become the norm, not the exception. THANK YOU to everyone!

The Brain Health Fair is tomorrow! 10 am - 1 pm at UMN UROC, 2001 Plymouth Ave N. Can’t wait to see you there!

This Thursday, March 12, I'll be giving the keynote at @DePaulHealthLaw's Jaharis Health Law Symposium on a topic of major concern: neurotechnology is moving out of research labs and into the real world faster than our legal frameworks can handle. Brain-computer interfaces aren't science fiction anymore. They're in clinical trials, consumer products, and increasingly, courtrooms. These technologies raise urgent questions about privacy, consent, cognitive liberty, and what it means to have control over your own thoughts. Here's what makes this moment different: For the first time in human history, we're developing tools that can measure and modify brain activity in real time in the real world. with enough precision to reveal mental states, decode intentions, and potentially access the neural substrates of cognition itself. The law has never had to grapple with evidence this intimate. This opens up some pretty amazing possibilities for improving mental health. Rather than waiting for the volcano to explode (and then waiting even longer to see a mental health provider), clinicians could get warning signs from the brain and then respond in real time before the volcano explodes. So how do we protect individuals while enabling responsible medical advances scientific progress? How do we ensure neurotechnology serves justice rather than surveillance? And what happens when centuries-old legal concepts about responsibility, autonomy, and fairness collide with what neuroscience is teaching us about how brains actually work? I'll be joining leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to work through these questions across criminal law, privacy and data governance, neurorights and ethics, and innovation and competition. If you're in Chicago on March 12th, or want to tune in online, I'd be glad to have you there. This is the conversation we need to be having now, before the technology outpaces our ability to govern it responsibly. Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026 Time: 8:30 AM - 3:15 PM Location: DePaul Conference Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 8005, Chicago Format: In-person and Online CLE Credit: Up to 4.75 hours, including 1.25 ethics hours Register: law.depaul.edu/about/events/f…

The Brain Health Fair on March 21 at @umnUROC is less than 2 weeks away! We are out on the streets promoting. Join us on March 21! Free food. Lots of amazing brain health info. Register here: z.umn.edu/brainhealth

Thank you to @PennMEHP and UPenn MindCORE for hosting a fantastic day discussing neuroscience, law, ethics, and justice. It was great to see old friends and to meet the next generation of leaders in this space. The question I posed today: Is neurolaw a field or a fad? My answer: Neurolaw is a *future* field. And it's up to us to build that future. #neurolaw

Tomorrow is the annual Research Ethics Day conference at the University of Minnesota, hosted by @UMNconsortium . Ensuring ethical research, in academia, in criminal justice, in all domains, is critical. I will be moderating a morning panel and there are great panels all day. For more information and to register for this excellent (and free!) event, see: consortium.umn.edu/event/research…

Thank you to Maja Holmen for covering our campaign in the @mndailynews this week. Maja stopped by to talk at our Campaign HQ in Dinkytown, where she met interns Joanlei Baker and Jessi Robertson. We had a great conversation about my vision for a neuroscience-informed legal system and my excitement about getting to work with so many energized and passionate young people. You can read the Q&A at the link below, and even better: you can stop by the HQ and ask questions in person yourself. 1130 4th St SE - look for the SAFETY signs and let's talk. mndaily.com/city/qa-with-f…

A big THANK YOU to Maya Batres and @jones_karianne for organizing an excellent town hall last night to discuss legal responses to rogue federal officials. And thanks to @ModistBrewing for donating the event space. Maya and Karianne were some of the first students I taught at University of Minnesota Law School and it's awesome to see them in action now as lawyer-leaders in our community. The event brought together community members and several of the candidates for Hennepin County Attorney to talk about how we would respond and lead if elected. I am deeply grateful to the SAFETY supporters who showed up! We had a huge contingent, all wearing their SAFETY shirts. I had a few minutes for remarks, and in addition to talking about prosecution strategies related to federal officials, I talked (of course!) about the role that neuroscience can play in bringing about justice. I emphasized the importance of holding officials accountable not just for the visible injuries, but also for the *invisible* injuries such as the stress that family members feel when separated from parents, the fear that children experience walking to school, and the sleepless nights so many are experiencing. These are *real* harms, and I've been advocating for 15 years that the law must do a better job of recognizing and responding. The event was important for another reason as well, and multiple people I spoke with mentioned this: it was a forum where candidates could talk about real ideas, present their differences in respectful ways, and have substantive conversations with voters. Kudos to my fellow candidates @Hao4Hennepin , @mattpelikan , and @CedrickFrazier for showing up and raising the bar. This is democracy in action. It's exactly the type of community-led action that we need. Thanks to everyone who attended!

Tonight I am excited to join legal expert (and a former student!) attorney Karianne Jones, who will speak about the roles of citizens and elected officials in pushing back. Event link is below and here's the description. Should be a great conversation! The discussion will cover existing civil and criminal authorities that can be leveraged to constrain the unlawful activity of rogue federal officials; policy efforts and community actions that can better protect communities; and suggestions on ways to strengthen and expand the state law tools for advocacy and accountability. In recognition of the important role that the county attorney plays, there will also be brief remarks from several candidates for Hennepin County Attorney, who will share their plans if elected, followed by a moderated Q&A with all speakers. eventbrite.com/e/pub-talks-ro…

Today is Lunar New Year and Fat Tuesday all in one! Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a special time, and it is in the Crescent City where I started my legal academic career. I am grateful to all my friends at @TulaneLaw and wishing you all an amazing Mardi Gras Day. I wasn't able to make it down this year, but hope to be back soon. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Lunar New Year is a special day for me because my dad was born in Shanghai, and we grew up celebrating the day with classic red envelopes and often a trip to see a Chinese lion dance. The Chinese community in St. Louis was very small in the mid-20th century, and it was important for the community to stick together. A number of years ago I dug up the passenger manifest from when my grandparents, dad, and aunt arrived in San Francisco to escape communist oppression in China and start a new life in St. Louis. It's not an exaggeration to say that I owe everything I have enjoyed in my life to this country's willingness to be a home for immigrants seeking a better life for their families. America's open arms welcomed the Shen family in 1949. My grandparents made the most of that opportunity, and we continue to build on their legacy.

Happy Birthday to @person_kelsey and @kennkenny__ ! From my longer birthday post on LinkedIn: Kelsey and Kennedy are super smart! But more than that, they are also dedicated to using those neuroscience smarts for the common good. Thank you Kelsey and Kennedy for sharing your talents with our Lab! And thank you to your mom for sharing Baltimore's best with @UMNeurosci. So proud of all that you have accomplished! linkedin.com/feed/update/ur…

Thanks to @UMNeurosci for a great retreat on Saturday. Dr. Abbey Holt Becker from @Medtronic gave a great presentation on their new adaptive deep brain stimulation device. In short: it's a modern pacemaker for the brain. And it will generate many important legal and ethical issues. See my post below for more. The law has to be ready for these rapidly advancing discoveries. linkedin.com/posts/fxshen_t…

A great day at Art Shanty Projects today! We’ve taken the kids for many years to this celebration of art and winter. Always new and creative projects! artshantyprojects.org

@CatholicSpirit Thank you for your leadership! This prayer service was a great way to start the day, and much needed.

Bishop Kenney, Father Collins lead prayer service for federal judges buff.ly/JcuGG8S

Thank you to Fr. Chris Collins, SJ and Bishop Kevin Kenney for leading this morning's prayer service for federal judges outside the courthouse. It was an honor to join you and other faithful people in community and prayer. We prayed for judges, lawyers, and all those working hard to bring a peaceful resolution to our current conflicts. I got to spend a large chunk of the day with Fr. Collins, who I deeply admire for his work to bring people together and spread the Gospel on campus at St. Thomas and throughout the community. Thank you for all you are doing! @ShenForSafety #AMDG thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-new…

My career was forever changed when I was introduced to brain science. This is a wonderfully illustrated write-up on the question: "What's so special about the human brain?" Answer: a lot! Check it out: nature.com/immersive/d415…

As an educator, mentoring and supporting young people is always a top priority. That doesn’t stop when I step out of my professor role and enter the political world. Indeed, one of the most exciting aspects of running for office is mentoring the next generation of leaders and watching them grow into their roles. Last night in Minnesota was “caucus” night, where folks from around the state met with their neighbors to discuss the biggest political issues and decide on delegates for future party conventions. Both Democrats and Republicans held meetings, and both saw high turnout. Here in Hennepin County, I spoke to 30 different caucus groups and members of our campaign were out at many locations. I want to congratulate Marissa and Gabe on attending caucus for the first time, and … being selected as delegates to the county convention! This is great news both for them, and for our community. Marissa just graduated from UMN, and Gabe is still a student. They are thoughtful, caring, smart, and committed to helping others. Now they’re now stepping up as leaders to make democracy work. Thank you to all the young leaders who showed up last night, and if you are a student reading this, know that you don’t have to wait to get real political power. Learn how the system works, and then get involved to make that system work better. The future is in your hands. @ShenForSafety #hennepin

TONIGHT is your opportunity to go to a precinct caucus and participate in grassroots democracy. @ShenForSafety can help you find your location shenforsafety.org/join and you can learn more from the MN Secretary of State here at the link below. Get involved and support innovation in our government! sos.mn.gov/elections-voti…

Kudos to my #UMNLaw colleague Amy Sweasy, the state's most experienced prosecutor of police use of force cases, for her excellent analysis in this Star Tribune article. Highlight: “Fatal use-of-force incidents involving law enforcement shooting or killing civilians in their line of duty is a totally different kind of investigation, just right out the chute,” Sweasy said. startribune.com/the-unpreceden…

The future of justice will require expert governance of rapidly advancing technology. I've spent my career at that leading edge, and spoke with KARE 11 about the federal government's concerning use of facial recognition technology. @ShenForSafety #minneapolis #hennepin #ICE kare11.com/article/news/l…