Robert Sapolsky

Ph.D., Rockefeller University

Stanford University

Dr. Robert Sapolsky is John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford University and Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Stanford's School of Medicine.

Professor Sapolsky earned his A.B. summa cum laude in Biological Anthropology from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from The Rockefeller University in New York. He is also a research associate at the Institute of Primate Research operated by the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi.

Dr. Sapolsky is a recipient of a MacArthur "genius" fellowship. His teaching awards include Stanford University’s Bing Award for Teaching Excellence and an award for outstanding teaching from the Associated Students of Stanford University.

Professor Sapolsky is the author of several books, including Stress, the Aging Brain and the Mechanisms of Neuron Death (MIT Press, 1992); The Trouble with Testosterone (Macmillan Library Reference, 1997); and Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress-Related Diseases and Coping (W.H. Freeman, 1995), which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award. He also regularly contributes to magazines and journals such as Discover, Science, Scientific American, Harper’s, and The New Yorker.

	Stress and Your Body Professor Robert Sapolsky From Dr. Robert Sapolsky, one of the world's foremost researchers on stress and neurobiology, comes this fascinating 24-lecture course that guides you through the science of the stress that is a central part of daily life. You'll explore the nuts and bolts of the stress-response system, its various effects on the body, its ramifications on psychological health, and more. Filled with intriguing case studies, helpful analogies, and heartfelt stories, Stress and Your Body will give you a thorough knowledge of how and why stress affects you the way it does.

Save Up To $160	Being Human: Life Lessons from the Frontiers of Science Professor Robert Sapolsky Join acclaimed neurobiologist and popular Great Courses Professor Robert Sapolsky for an undeniably fascinating study of what, specifically, makes you you. Being Human: Life Lessons from the Frontiers of Science is a 12-lecture course that takes you to the front lines of scientific research and offers you a new perspective on the supposedly quirky nature of being ourselves. Thought-provoking, witty, and sometimes myth-shattering, this course is sure to have you thinking about, observing, and even appreciating your own life in novel ways.

	Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition Professor Robert Sapolsky When are we responsible for our own actions, and when are we in the grip of biological forces beyond our control? This intriguing question is the scientific province of behavioral biology, a field that explores interactions among the brain, mind, body, and environment that have a surprising influence on how we behave and interact.

Save Up To $360	Understanding Mysteries of Human Behavior & Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition Professor Robert Sapolsky Explore what the latest research in neuroscience and the behavioral sciences can add to our understanding of how the human brain evolved and functions and why humans act the way they do. In Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior, gain powerful insights into behavior we have all experienced but that has always been a mystery. And in Biology and Human Behavior, explore the interactions between the brain, mind, body, and environment that have a surprising influence on how we behave and that make us the individuals we are.

	Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation & Stress and Your Body (Set) Professor Robert Sapolsky Discover the harmful consequences of stress and learn how you can reduce it, enhance your sense of well-being, and sharpen your mental abilities with this two-course set by two master teachers: Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation and Stress and Your Body.

	What Science Knows about Cancer & Stress and Your Body (Set) Professor Robert Sapolsky Join two of the country's foremost medical researchers for the latest findings on cancer and stress in this important course duo. What Science Knows about Cancer reports from the front lines of the war on cancer with a precise—yet thoroughly accessible—guide to how the disease develops, thrives, and can potentially be conquered. Stress and Your Body gives you thorough knowledge of how and why stress affects you the way it does by exploring the nuts and bolts of the stress-response system, its various effects on the body, its ramifications on psychological health, and more.

	Philosophy of Mind: Brains, Consciousness, and Thinking Machines & Being Human: Life Lessons from the Frontiers of Science (Set) Professor Robert Sapolsky Embark on the scientific quest to understand the human mind and our humanity--the very essence of who we are and how we live our lives—in this thought-provoking course set. In Professor Patrick Grim's Philosophy of Mind, you'll learn powerful tools provided by philosophy for investigating the mysteries of thinking, feeling, and perceiving. And in Professor Robert Sapolsky's Being Human, you'll learn about the mechanisms of human behavior through evolutionary biology, neuroscience, anthropology, psychology, sociology, and other related fields.

	Optimizing Brain Fitness & Stress and Your Body (Set) Professor Robert Sapolsky Gain a greater understanding of the human brain and ways you can use it to improve your mental health with this two-course set. In Optimizing Brain Fitness, learn how to take advantage of the fundamental principles of brain operation and build the brain you want to live with for the rest of your life. Then, in Stress and Your Body, explore the nuts and bolts of the stress-response system and its effects on your everyday health.

New & Featured

Professors by Topic

What are priority codes?

What are priority codes?

Robert Sapolsky