LA JOLLA, CA :: Kristie is really into the human brain. As an educational therapist, her work and professional development require her to read through volumes of books and periodicals on brain research. In general, she enjoys reading stories about people with brain disorders, and has been known to successfully schmooze her way into doctorate-level neuropsychology courses at the UW.

It was a treat then when I took her to The Neurosciences Institute, a private brain research center in La Jolla and host to the world's top neuroscientists. I had first visited the institute in 1997 during a college field trip, just a year after the architects, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, had won an AIA Honor Award for excellence in design. We had received a tour of the buildings to appreciate their clean, modern lines and sculptural spaces. The campus was designed as a "scientific monastery," where scientists could retreat to quiet, meditative areas as well as have opportunities to enounter and interact with researchers in other neuro-disciplines. Several outdoor "rooms" are composed of irregular angles and proportions to stimulate new thoughts and perspectives.

Today, we were here to attend a presentation in the institute's auditorium. The materials and shapes in the large theater are accoustically perfect, allowing a person to speak onstage and to be heard without the need for any artificial amplification. The presentation was fittingly on the subject of the human voice, but unfortunately, it wasn't quite what we expected. It was a little too much "finding your spiritual inner-strength," motivational speaker-type fluff, and not as much scientifically substantiated content as we had assumed would be presented at this type of venue. It turns out the institute rents the auditorium to outside groups, and the speaker was not affiliated with the institute in any way.

I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this.

-Emo Phillips