About CSR

A new science for the map of experience

The Center for Sentience Research (CSR) is an independent non-profit research institute headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. We exist to build the first rigorous, substrate-neutral science of consciousness.

Our Mission

We bridge physics, neuroscience, and philosophy to understand how sentience arises across all substrates — biological, digital, and physical. Our work is grounded in the conviction that consciousness is not a philosophical mystery but a physical phenomenon subject to mathematical modeling.

Why It Matters

As we move toward an era of increasingly complex autonomous and artificial systems, understanding the physical foundations of sentience is a requirement for survival. We must learn to recognize — and measure — awareness wherever it could arise, not just where it looks like us. The moral and governance implications of getting this wrong are profound.

Our Approach

Substrate Neutrality

We investigate sentience as a fundamental physical property that can emerge in biological cells, neural networks, or exotic physical states.

Quantitative Modeling

Our work goes beyond metaphor, using high-dimensional data analysis and computational physics to build predictive maps of consciousness.

Ethical Expansion

Understanding sentience is a prerequisite for expanding our moral circle. We study the ethical implications of future minds and non-human awareness.

Founding & Structure

CSR was founded in 2026 by Jhonatan Serna. We operate as an independent non-profit with a "Transparency-First" model — annual research outputs and financial summaries are made public to the global research community. We are headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

Get Involved

We welcome collaborators, researchers, and philanthropic partners who share our commitment to understanding the nature of mind.