Tackling Neuroscience | Dr. Robert W. Turner II – Keynote at the Brain Health Conference 2025

From the football field to the ivory tower, Dr. Robert W. Turner II shares his powerful journey through sports, identity, and science — and why the future of brain health depends on inclusion, equity, and community.

In this keynote from the 2025 Brain Health Conference, Dr. Turner explores the lived realities behind neuroscience: CTE, Alzheimer’s, and the overlooked health disparities facing Black men. He challenges audiences to step into the research gap — and reminds young scholars and athletes that their voices matter.

🎓 About Dr. Turner:
Associate Professor, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University
Author of Not For Long: The Life and Career of the NFL Athlete (Oxford Press)
Principal Investigator, Black Men’s Brain Health & Dementia Studies

🧠 Topics covered:

• The connection between repetitive impacts and brain aging

• Why Black men’s health data is missing in neuroscience

• Building community-based research for future generations

🎥 Recorded live at the Brain Health Conference – September 27, 2025.

#BrainHealth #Neuroscience #BlackMensHealth #ResearchEquity #DementiaAwareness #CTE #CommunityScience

00:08 Academic and Professional Background 00:21 Football Career and Transition 00:41 Research and Contributions 01:56 Engaging the Younger Generation 03:46 Black Men's Health and Brain Health 07:12 Personal Journey and Family History 10:57 Challenges and Resilience 13:22 Sports as a Pathway 15:55 Pursuing Higher Education 18:27 Professional Football Experience 18:51 Writing and Research on Athletes' Transitions 19:32 A Journeyman's Struggle 07:35 A Brother's Encouragement 20:14 Grandmother's Wisdom 22:32 Pursuing Higher Education 23:01 The Journey to Sociology 23:41 Research and Contributions 30:10 Black Men's Brain Health Study 33:32 Emerging Scholars Program 35:09 Importance of Research Participation 36:51 Leaving a Legacy of Caregiving 39:47 Challenges in Black Men's Health 41:01 Final Thoughts and Contact Information