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Fred Travis

Fred Travis
Fred Travis
  • Chair, Department of Maharishi Vedic Science
  • Professor of Maharishi Vedic Science
  • Director, Center for Brain, Consciousness, & Cognition
  • Dean of the Graduate School

Dr. Travis is Professor of Maharishi Vedic Science, Chair of the Department of Maharishi Vedic Science, Dean of the Graduate School, and Director of the Center for Brain, Consciousness, & Cognition. He earned an MS and PhD in Psychology from Maharishi International University, and a BS in Design and Environmental Analysis from Cornell University.

Research interests

  •  Psychophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness
  •  Psychophysiological correlates of reading Vedic literature
  •  Investigation of models of higher states of consciousness
  •  Effects of Transcendental Meditation® practice on child development
  •  Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on promoting healthy aging

Academic Background

  •  Senior Researcher, Institute for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, 1993-Present
  •  Post Doctoral Fellow, University of California, Davis, in Basic Sleep Research
  •  PhD in Psychology, Maharishi International University. Dissertation: Testing the Field Model of Maharishi’s Vedic Psychology
  •  MS in Psychology, Maharishi International University
  •  BS in Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University. Senior Thesis: The Transcendental
  •  Meditation technique and Creativity: A longitudinal study of Cornell University undergraduate

Awards and Honors

  •  Editorial Board of the Journal of Meditation and Meditation Research
  •  Who’s Who in American Schools and Colleges, 1985
  •  Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Fellowships, 1985

Books and Book Chapters    

  • Travis, F., Collins, J. (2021). Consciousness-Based Education: Effects on Brain Integration and Practical Intelligence, In Workplace Innovations: Advancing Innovation and Sustainable Outcomes in International Graduate Education, Eds. M Gurubatham, IGI Global, pg. 144 – 159.
  • Travis, F. (2021). Negative and Positive Mindwandering, In Workplace Innovations: Advancing Innovation and Sustainable Outcomes in International Graduate Education, Eds. M Gurubatham, IGI Global, pg. 177 – 192.
  • Travis, F. (2021). Innovation, Creativity and Brain Integration, In Workplace Innovations: Advancing Innovation and Sustainable Outcomes in International Graduate Education, Eds. M Gurubatham, IGI Global, pg. 160 – 176.
  • Travis, F. (2018) Long Term Changes in Experienced Yoga Practitioners: Growth of Higher States of Consciousness in TM Subjects, In Telles, S, Singh, N. (Ed), Research-Based Perspectives on the Psychophysiology of Yoga IGI Global, Hershey PA, 3 – 35
  • Wallace, K. and Travis, F. (2016). Dharma Parenting, Tarcher/Penguin: New York
  • Harung, H. and Travis, F. (2015). Excellence through Mind-Brain Development, Routledge/Gower: London.
  • Travis, F. (2015) How Meditation Heals: The Brain and Higher States of Consciousness,   In Prescribing Health, Transcendental Meditation in Contemporary Medical Care, Eds: D. O’Connell and D. Bevvino, New York: Lowman and Littlefield.
  • Heaton, D., & Travis, F. (2013). Consciousness, empathy, and the brain. In K. Pavlovich and K. Krahnke (Eds.), Organizing through empathy, pp. 17-33. Oxford, UK: Routledge.
  • Heaton, D. P., Travis, F. & Subramaniam, R. (2012). A Consciousness-Based approach to management education for integrity. In C. Wankel and A. Stachowicz-Stanusch (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teaching Ethics in Business and Management Education, pp. 66-79, Hershey PA, IGI Global.
  • Travis, F. (2012). Your Brain is a River, Not a Rock. Createspace: Amazon.com
  • Travis, F. (2011). States of Consciousness Beyond Waking, Dreaming and Sleeping: Perspectives from Research on Meditation Experiences. In D. Certkovik, I Cosvic. States of Consciousness: Experimental Insights into Meditation, Waking, Sleep and Dreams. Frontier collection.
  • Travis, F.T. (2006) From I To I: Concepts of Self on an Object-Referral/ Self-Referral Continuum, A. P. Prescott, Ed. The Concept of Self in Psychology, New York: Nova Publishing.
  • Arenander, A, Travis, F.T. (2004). Brain patterns of Self-awareness. In B Beitman and J Nair, Eds. Self-Awareness Deficits. New York: W.W. Norton.

Article

  • Travis F. (2021) Consciousness is Primary: Science of Consciousness for the 21st Century, International Journal of Psychological Studies; Vol. 13, No. 1; pg 1-11.
  • Travis F. On the Neurobiology of Meditation: Comparison of Three Organizing Strategies to Investigate Brain Patterns during Meditation Practice. Medicina (Kaunas). 2020 Dec 18;56(12):712. doi: 10.3390/medicina56120712. PMID: 33353049; PMCID: PMC7767117.
  • Travis, F. Melzer, A., Scharf D. (2020) Effects of Maharishi Light Technology with Gems: A random-assignment, placebo-controlled, blinded pilot study, SAGE Open Medicine, Volume 8: 1–7, DOI: 10.1177/205031212091827
  • Travis, F., Nash, J., Parim, N., & Cohen, B. (2020). Does the MRI/fMRI Procedure Itself Confound the Results of Meditation Research? An Evaluation of Subjective and Neurophysiological Measures of TM Practitioners in a Simulated MRI Environment. Fontiers in Psychology, Aptil 28. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00728
  • Avvenuti, G., Leo, A., Cecchetti, L., Franco, F., Travis, F., Caramella, D. Bernardi, G. Ricciardi, E. Pietrini, P. (2020). Reductions in perceived stress following Transcendental Meditation practice are associated with increased brain regional connectivity at rest, Brain and Cognition, 139: 1 – 11
  • Travis, F. (2019) Temporal and spatial characteristics of meditation EEG Psychol Trauma. 2019 12(2):111-115 Jul 8. doi: 10.1037/tra0000488.
  • Vieten C, Wahbeh H, Cahn BR, MacLean K, Estrada M, Mills P, Murphy M, Shapiro S, Radin D, Josipovic Z, Presti DE, Sapiro M, Chozen Bays J, Russell P, Vago D, Travis F, Walsh R, Delorme A. (2018) Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science. PLoS One. Nov 7;13(11):e0205740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205740.
  • Travis, F, Valosek, L. Konrad, A, Link J., Salerno, J. Scheller, R. Nidich, S. (2018) Effect of meditation on psychological distress and brain functioning: a randomized controlled study. Brain and Cognition, 125:100-5.
  • Mahone, M., Travis, F.T Gevirtz, R.and Hubbard, D. (2018) fMRI during Transcendental Meditation Practice, Brain and Cognition, 123: 30-33.
  • Wahbeh H, Sagher A, Back W, Pundhir P, Travis F. (2018) A Systematic Review of Transcendent States Across Meditation and Contemplative Traditions. Explore (NY). 14(1):19-35. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.07.007. Epub 2017 Oct 23.
  • Gobec, S and Travis, F. (in press) Effects of Maharishi Yoga Asanas on Mood States, Happiness and Experiences during Meditation, International Journal of Yoga.
  • Faber PL, Travis F, Milz P, Parim N., (2017). EEG microstates during different phases of Transcendental Meditation practice. Cogn Process. 2017 Aug;18(3):307-314. doi: 10.1007/s10339-017-0812-y. Epub 2017 Apr 27
  • Travis, F., Parim, N. and Shrivastava, A. (2017) Higher Theta and Alpha Coherence when Listening to Vedic Recitation Compared to Coherence during Transcendental Meditation Practice, Consciousness and Cognition, 49 (2017) 157–162.
  • Travis, F. and Parim, N. (2017) Default Mode Network Activation and Transcendental Meditation Practice: Focused Attention or Automatic Self-Transcending? Brain and Cognition, 111:86-94.
  • Lagrosen, Y. and Travis, F. (2016), “Developing a neuropsychological measurement to capture workplace learning”, Journal of Modelling in Management, online, pre-published version, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 783-801.
  • Travis, F. (2016). Transcending as a driver of development, New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1):72-77.
  • Travis, F. and Wallace, K. (2015). Dosha brain‑types: A neural model of individual differences, Journal of Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine, 6(4), 280-285.
  • Wenuganen, Supaya. (2014). Anti-Aging Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program: Analysis of Ojas Level and Global Gene Expression Maharishi University of Management, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 3630467.
  • Lagrosen, Y. & Travis, F. (2015), Exploring the connections between quality management and brain functioning, The TQM Journal, Vol. 25, No 5, pp. 565-575.
  • Travis, F. and Lagrosen Y. (2014). Creativity and Brain-Functioning in Product Development Engineers: A Canonical Correlation Analysis. Creativity Research Journal. 26(2), 239–243.
  • Charles, G., Travis, F. and Smith, J (2014) Policing and Spirituality: Their Impact on Brain Integration and Consciousness. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 214: 230 – 244.
  • Boes, R., Harung, H. S., Travis, F. & Pensgaard, A. M. (2014). Mental and Physical Attributes Defining World-class Norwegian Athletes: Content Analysis of Interviews. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 24, 422-427.
  • Rees, B., Travis, F., Shapiro, D., and Chant, R. (2014). Significant Reductions in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Congolese Refugees after 10 days Transcendental Meditation Practice. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2014, 27, 112–115.
  • Travis, F. (2014). Transcendental Experiences during Meditation Practice, New York Academy of Sciences: Advances in Meditation Research: Neuroscience and Clinical Applications, 1: 1-8.
  • Rees, B., Travis, F., Shapiro, D., and Chant, R. (2013). Reduction in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Congolese Refugees Practicing Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2013, 26, 295–298.Lagrosen, Y, Travis, F and Lagrosen, S. (2012). Brain Integration as a driver for QM success. International Journal of Quality & Service Sciences, 4(3), 253-269.
  • Travis, F. (2012). Core and Matrix Thalamic Nuclei: Parallel Circuits Involved in Content of Experience and General Wakefulness. NeuroQuantology. 10(2), 46-53.
  • Harung H.S., Travis F. (2012). Higher mind-brain development in successful leaders: testing a unified theory of performance. Cognitive Processing. 13: 171-181.
  • Ludwig, M., Gevirtz, R. Travis F., and Hubbard, D. (2011), Brain activation and cortical thickness in experienced meditators, dissertation, The California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego.
  • Grosswald, S.J. and Travis, F. (2011) ADHD and Stress: The Role of Meditation to Reduce Stress, and Improve Brain Function and Behavior Regulation. In Current Directions in ADHD and Its Treatment, pg 195-210

Presentations

  • Travis F.T. Phenomenological and Physiological markers of transcendental consciousness: A proposed fourth state of consciousness. Paper presented at the Science and consciousness Conference , April 1996.
  • Travis F.T. Lucid Dreaming and the junction point model. Paper presented at Conference on Lucid Dreaming, July 1991.
  • Travis F.T. The junction point model of states of consciousness. Paper presented at Conference on higher states of consciousness: Theoretical and experimental perspectives, July 1990.
  • Kleinschnitz K.W., Travis F.T., Druhl K.J. (1990) Modulation of brain wave coherence from a distance: Search for an electromagnetic mechanism. Paper presented at 12th annual meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, San Antonio, TX.
  • Travis F.T., Feinberg I., Maloney T., and March, J.D. (1990) Sleeping/waking relationships. Paper presented at the Spring meeting of the Association of Professional Sleep Societies, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Feinberg I., Travis F. T., Maloney T., March J.D. (1989) Peak-trough analysis of cyclic delta patterns more faithfully reflects maturational change than visual scoring or computer tabulation of NREMPs. Paper presented at the Spring meeting of the Association of Professional Sleep Societies, Washington, D.C.
  • Travis F.T. (1988). Delineating the EEG pattern characteristic of the TM technique. Paper presented at the Spring meeting of the Midwest Psychological Association, Chicago, IL
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