Unforgettable: How Memory Makes Us Who We Are

You walk into a room and forget why you’re there. You recognise a face, but can’t place the name. And yet, you recall vividly the smell of your grandma’s kitchen from decades ago.  

Some memories arrive in full colour, while others vanish in seconds. How does your brain decide what to keep, and what to let go?  

Distinguished Professor Cliff Abraham has spent his whole career researching memory. What insights can he give us – and what recollections does he have of his own extraordinary life? 

Join us for a very special evening with this renowned neuroscientist at a once-in-a-lifetime event at Auckland’s iconic Eden Park. Hear how, back in 1981, Cliff left Florida and arrived at the University of Otago for a post-doctoral fellowship. Robert Muldoon was Prime Minister, the Springbok tour was dividing a nation...and Dunedin was not the sub-tropical paradise this young American was expecting. 

Cliff will be joined onstage by young PhD researcher Jim Davies and the Neurological Foundation’s Head of Research, Dr Sarah Schonberger, for a truly special evening. 

RNZ’s Anna Thomas will host with her trademark warmth and curiosity. You’ll hear about these incredible researchers’ personal journeys, learn what motivates them, and discover what you can do to keep your own memory safe. 

You’ll leave with a fresh understanding of how memory works, what can disrupt it, and practical ways to protect your brain health as you age. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a living legend while learning how memory, and memories, make us who we are.