Erich Jarvis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erich D. Jarvis
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| Born | May 6, 1965 Harlem, New York City, NY, US
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| Known for | Birdsong, language |
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| Fields | Neuroscience |
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Erich Jarvis is an American professor at Rockefeller University. He leads a team of scientists who study how animals learn to make sounds. This is called "vocal learning." It's super important for understanding how humans learn to speak!
His research looks at animals like songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds. He wants to show that these birds learn sounds in ways similar to humans. For example, they can learn new sounds and pass them down to their young. Professor Jarvis focuses on how the brain works to learn and make these sounds. He also studies how brain parts for vocal learning develop.
In 2002, the National Science Foundation gave Jarvis the Alan T. Waterman Award. This is a very important award for young scientists. In 2005, he received the National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award. This award gave him money to explore new ideas in science. In 2008, he became an Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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Who is Erich Jarvis?
Erich Jarvis was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1965. He was one of four children. His mother, Sasha McCall, was a gospel singer. His father, James Jarvis, was a musician and loved science. After his parents divorced in 1970, his mother mostly raised him.
Jarvis says his family, especially his father, helped him love science. His father's excitement for science really inspired him.
Early Life and Education
Erich Jarvis went to the High School for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. There, he studied ballet. He even turned down an audition for a famous dance company! Instead, he chose to study at Hunter College.
At Hunter College, he earned a degree in Biology and Mathematics in 1988. While he was still a student, he had six scientific papers published. That's a lot for a college student! He then went to Rockefeller University. In 1995, he earned his Ph.D. in Animal Behavior and Molecular Neurobehavior. He continued his research there until 1998.
His Career in Science
From 1995 to 2002, Jarvis worked as a professor at Rockefeller University. Then, he became a professor at Duke University Medical Center. He stayed there until 2016. After that, he returned to Rockefeller University. Today, he is a professor and leads the Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language.
What Does His Research Focus On?
Professor Jarvis's main research looks at how birds learn to make sounds. He studies how they can copy sounds. His work with songbirds helps us understand how human language developed. It also helps us learn about speech problems.
His research uses many different methods. These include studying behavior, brain structure, and genes.
Key Discoveries
Jarvis and his team have made many important discoveries. Here are some of them:
- They found that genes in bird brains change when birds learn new behaviors.
- They learned that birds' genes react differently depending on their social situation.
- They discovered that different animal groups, even if not closely related, can learn sounds in similar ways.
- They found the FOXP2 gene in birds that learn to sing. This gene is also important for human speech.
- They also found that the parts of the brain used for vocal learning might have come from older brain systems. These older systems help with learning movements.
Future Research
One of Jarvis's newest projects is very exciting. He wants to try and make birds that don't sing, like pigeons, learn to sing. He plans to do this by adding new genes to their brains. If this works, it could help people who lose their speech after a stroke.
Awards and Honors
Professor Jarvis has received many awards for his amazing work. Here are some of them:
- 1986: First Place Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research.
- 2000: Esther & Joseph Klingenstein Award in Neuroscience.
- 2000: David and Lucille Packard Foundation Award.
- 2002: Hall of Fame: Alumni Association of Hunter College.
- 2002: NSF Alan T. Waterman Award. This is the NSF's top award for young scientists. He won it for his new ways of mapping brain areas involved in behavior.
- 2003: The Distinguished Alumni Award of the City University of New York.
- 2005: Dominion Award: Strong Men and Women of Excellence. Other winners include famous people like Maya Angelou and Michael Jordan.
- 2005: NIH Director's Pioneer Award.
- 2006: His work on bird brain names was listed in Discover magazine's top 100 science discoveries.
- 2008: HHMI Investigator Award.
- 2015: Ernest Everett Just Award.
See also
In Spanish: Erich Jarvis para niños
