BethAnn McLaughlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
BethAnn McLaughlin
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McLaughlin in 2018
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| Born | |
| Nationality | American |
| Education |
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| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neurology |
| Institutions | Vanderbilt University |
| Thesis | Striatal vulnerability to mitochondrial inhibition (1998) |
BethAnn McLaughlin is an American neuroscientist and activist. She used to be a professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University. Her research at Vanderbilt focused on how the brain reacts to stress and injury.
After her time at Vanderbilt ended in 2019, she became known for a situation involving a fake online identity. She later admitted to creating this fake persona.
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Early Life and Education
BethAnn McLaughlin was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in St. Louis and New Hampshire. From a young age, she was interested in nature and science. However, she preferred sports over formal science classes. She also worked on her school newspaper in high school.
In 1990, McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. This was in Biopsychology from Skidmore College. During her studies, she spent a year in Africa. There, she learned about wildlife management. This experience inspired her to become an advocate for nature. She organized campus events for Earth Day. She felt this success made her "hopelessly committed to causing good trouble."
McLaughlin continued her education. She earned her PhD in Neurological Sciences in 1998. This degree was from the University of Pennsylvania. After her PhD, she did more training. She worked in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh. She received a grant from the National Institutes of Health for her research.
Her Career as a Scientist
In 2002, McLaughlin started working at Vanderbilt University. She joined as a research assistant professor. This was at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In 2005, she became an assistant professor. This new role was a "tenure track" position. This means she could work towards a permanent teaching position.
Her research team studied how the brain responds to stress. They wanted to find ways to help with brain injuries. The McLaughlin Lab also looked for new genes. These genes might affect how vulnerable the brain is to injury. They also studied why brain cells die.
Their research focused on important brain conditions. These included stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and autism. McLaughlin specifically worked on understanding cell loss. This happens after the brain doesn't get enough oxygen or blood. This can occur during a heart attack or stroke.
McLaughlin also worked with other scientists. She collaborated with physics and chemistry researchers. They studied tiny brain models called organoids. These models can be used for testing new medicines. They also researched cholesterol in the brain.
In 2015, McLaughlin applied for a permanent position (tenure). Vanderbilt University delayed its decision for two years. This was because of an investigation. In 2017, she was not given tenure. She tried to appeal this decision. She also gathered support on social media. However, in 2019, the decision was upheld. She left the university in July 2019.
Activism and Online Activities
BethAnn McLaughlin was a founder of MeTooSTEM in 2018. This organization aimed to support people in science, technology, engineering, and math. It focused on issues like harassment and discrimination.
Some people who worked with MeTooSTEM later left the organization. They raised concerns about McLaughlin's leadership. These concerns included issues with how the organization was run. After an online incident in 2020, McLaughlin stated she would step away from MeTooSTEM activities.
In 2020, McLaughlin posted on Twitter about a colleague. She claimed this colleague, "@Sciencing_bi", had died from COVID-19. This person was supposedly a Native American professor. However, it was later discovered that this online identity was not real. A university spokesperson said there was no evidence of such a professor. It was found that a donation account linked to "@Sciencing_bi" belonged to McLaughlin.
On August 3, 2020, McLaughlin's Twitter account was suspended. This was for breaking rules about fake online identities. She later admitted she was responsible for the fake persona. After this, she was removed from the editorial board of the Journal of Neuroscience. She was also removed from the MIT Media Lab 2018 MIT Disobedience Award.
Recognition
In 2018, BethAnn McLaughlin received an award. It was the Society for Neuroscience Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award. She earned this award for her work. It recognized her efforts to advance women in neuroscience.
