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Workplace safety depends on sensory perception. If workers are to avoid hazards, respond to warnings, and follow safety protocols, they must first notice and correctly interpret features of their environment. And if occupational and environmental health and safety professionals are to design systems that keep workers safe, they must be aware of workers’ limitations when noticing hazards and taking appropriate action. This requires understanding how human brains respond to factors such as habit, attention, stress, fatigue, social pressure, and cognitive shortcuts.

David Eagleman, PhD, a neuroscientist at Stanford University and a New York Times bestselling author, has spent his career studying the human brain. As outlined in his 2015 Ted Talk, he has developed technologies that substitute or augment human senses, such as a vest that helps Deaf people perceive speech by translating sound into vibration. But his work also has implications for OEHS. As the opening keynote speaker at AIHA Connect 2026, Eagleman will discuss the workplace safety implications of the brain’s unconscious processes.

“Safety outcomes are ultimately driven by human behavior, and human behavior is largely guided by the unconscious brain,” Eagleman wrote in an email correspondence with AIHA staff. Safety incidents typically don’t happen because workers lack information or good intentions, he continued, but because safety systems don’t mesh with how the brain perceives its environment. “When we understand the invisible forces driving judgment and action, we can design safer workplaces that anticipate human limitations rather than relying on perfect vigilance.”

Bridging Research, Application, and Communication

“I’ve always been interested in questions that sit at the intersection of science and everyday life—for example, how the brain constructs reality, makes decisions, remembers the past, and imagines the future,” Eagleman wrote. “So in my neuroscience research I study brain plasticity, sensory substitution, and how the brain adapts to new inputs and technologies.”

Beyond his neuroscience studies, Eagleman is also the author of several internationally bestselling books, such as Incognito, The Brain, Sum, and Livewired. He is the creator of television series about the brain on PBS and Netflix, and he serves as a scientific advisor for several television shows, such as “Westworld” and “Severance.” He also directs the Center for Science and Law and is a scientific advisor for several companies. Eagleman hosts the podcast “Inner Cosmos,” which reached #1 on Apple's most-listened-to science podcasts. 

“In all these media,” Eagleman wrote, “I explore how neuroscience shows up in our experiences: why we misremember, why time feels strange, why we fall for illusions, why brains dream, why we struggle to predict our own future behavior.” These questions have also influenced his work in technology, design, and ethics, including the companies he’s launched in fields such as sensory technology, artificial intelligence tools, and cognitive health. All these projects have been motivated by his desire to “understand how the brain works, and then translating that understanding into tools that matter outside the lab,” he wrote.

But turning research into application is never a solo project, which is where the communication aspect of Eagleman’s work comes into play. “For me, research, writing, and public speaking are all part of the same effort: researching big questions about the mind and inviting other people into that conversation.”

Bringing Neuroscience into the Workplace

It’s this perspective Eagleman will bring to AIHA Connect 2026. His opening keynote session will start with an overview of the unconscious brain’s influence on decision-making. “We like to think of ourselves as rational agents steering the ship, but neuroscience shows that conscious thought is often more like a narrator: explaining decisions after they’ve already been set in motion,” he wrote. “Understanding this changes how we think about judgment, risk, error, and responsibility in complex professional environments.”

Eagleman will also cover how the brain adapts to its environment. When exposed to novelty, diverse input, and even limited discomfort, the brain can make what he described as “creative leaps.”  

Finally, he will discuss how learning is critical to keeping the brain flexible. “Safe organizations are learning organizations,” Eagleman wrote. Flexible, adaptive brains are better at noticing anomalies, responding to unexpected situations, and developing safer practices, he explained. In his view, a safe organization promotes learning from near misses and safety incidents. “Occupational and environmental health is about much more than regulations or equipment: it’s about shaping cultures, workflows, and environments that align with human neurobiology, enabling people to make better decisions under real-world conditions,” he continued.

“When we understand how the brain actually works, we can make better decisions, cultivate creativity, and build systems that align with human biology rather than fighting against it.”

Toward Safer, More Adaptable Workplaces

Eagleman hopes attendees will leave his session with an investment in designing safety systems that align with brain function. “Neuroscience shows us that attention is fragile, decision-making is often unconscious, and behavior is deeply shaped by context,” he wrote. “OEHS professionals are uniquely positioned to translate this understanding into smarter safety design: clearer cues, better defaults, environments that reduce cognitive overload, and systems that catch errors before they cascade.”

Moreover, he aims for attendees to return to their organizations with the mindset that safety mistakes and near misses represent data, not failures. Lessons from these events can be applied to update risk models and adapt to new workplace conditions. “OEHS professionals can help build workplaces where curiosity is rewarded, where innovation in safety is encouraged, and where people are supported in staying mentally flexible over long careers,” Eagleman wrote. The goal, he added, is to create “healthier, more adaptive organizations that align safety, learning, and human biology.”

David Eagleman’s opening keynote session will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. Central time on June 1st, 2026. AIHA Connect 2026 will occur June 1st through 3rd at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, with certain sessions and events to be streamed online. To learn more about the opening and closing sessions, view the agenda, or register, visit aihaconnect.org.