Richard G. Morris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard G.M. Morris
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| Born |
Richard Graham Michael Morris
27 June 1948 |
| Alma mater |
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| Known for | Morris water navigation task |
| Awards | 2016 Brain Prize |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neuroscience |
| Institutions | University of Edinburgh |
Richard Graham Michael Morris, born on June 27, 1948, is a famous British neuroscientist. A neuroscientist is a scientist who studies the brain and the nervous system. He is well-known for creating a special test called the Morris water navigation task. This test helps scientists understand how animals learn and remember.
He also helped develop the idea of synaptic tagging. This is about how brain cells (neurons) mark certain connections to remember new information. Dr. Morris has done important work on the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that helps us form new memories.
About Richard Morris
Richard Morris is currently the director of the Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems in Edinburgh. He is also a top professor of neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh.
Since 1994, he has been a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group of Scotland's best thinkers and scientists. In 1997, he also became a fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected scientific group in the United Kingdom. In 2007, he received a special honor called Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
His Big Discoveries
In 2016, Richard Morris, along with Tim Bliss and Graham Collingridge, won a major award called The Brain Prize. This prize is given to scientists who make big discoveries about the brain.
They won for their work on how connections between brain cells get stronger. This process is called long-term potentiation (LTP). Imagine your brain cells talking to each other. When they talk about something important, their connection gets stronger. This stronger connection helps us learn new things and remember them for a long time. LTP is super important for how we learn and remember.
In April 2020, he was also chosen to be a member of the National Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United States.
Where He Studied
Richard Morris earned his first degree in natural science from Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Later, he received his advanced degree (called a D.Phil.) from the University of Sussex in 1973.
From 1977 to 1986, he taught at the University of St Andrews. During this time, he created the famous Morris water navigation task. In 1986, he moved to the University of Edinburgh, where he continues his important research today.
