Stephanie Seneff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephanie Seneff
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Seneff in 2014
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| Born | April 20, 1948 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, MS, PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Victor Zue |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer science |
| Institutions | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Thesis | Pitch and spectral analysis of speech based on an auditory synchrony model (1985) |
| Doctoral advisor | Kenneth N. Stevens |
Stephanie Seneff, born on April 20, 1948, is an American computer scientist. She is a senior research scientist at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Early in her career, her work at MIT focused on how humans and computers can interact. She also studied how computers can understand human language and speech. Since 2011, she has published papers on health and biology topics. These papers have caused debate among other scientists.
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Her Career and Studies
Stephanie Seneff went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She earned her first degree in biophysics in 1968. Later, she received master's and engineering degrees in electrical engineering in 1980. In 1985, she earned her PhD in computer science and electrical engineering.
She is a senior research scientist at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). Her early research focused on making computers better at understanding human speech. She studied how the human ear and brain process sounds. In 2012, she was recognized for her work on systems that help humans and computers talk to each other. She is married to Victor Zue, who is also a professor at MIT.
Research on Health Topics
Starting in 2011, Seneff began writing articles about biology and medicine. These articles appeared in scientific journals that are open to many different views. However, some of her ideas have been seen as controversial by other scientists. Experts in various fields have disagreed with her findings.
Glyphosate and Health Claims
In 2013, Seneff co-wrote a paper that linked a weed killer called glyphosate to many health problems. These included diseases like cancer and conditions like autism. Other news outlets reported on this study. However, some writers, like Keith Kloor from Discover magazine, said these reports were not critical enough.
A leader from Monsanto, the company that makes glyphosate, said the product has been studied a lot and is safe. Seneff also claimed that glyphosate was a main cause of autism. She suggested that by 2025, half of all children might be diagnosed with autism. Many scientists have disagreed with this claim. They say that the rise in autism rates is mostly due to better ways of diagnosing it. Studies have also found little proof that glyphosate causes developmental problems.
Views on Vaccines
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Seneff published articles about possible side effects of vaccines. In 2022, she co-wrote a paper about how COVID-19 mRNA vaccines might affect the body's immune system. This paper was published in a journal called Food and Chemical Toxicology. One of her co-authors, Peter A. McCullough, is known for spreading incorrect information about the pandemic.
Other scientists asked the journal to remove the paper. They said it contained mistakes and claims that were not supported by evidence. The journal did not remove the paper. However, they did publish a letter from concerned scientists pointing out the issues.
Seneff and her MIT colleagues have also written about how fats and cholesterol affect health. Based on this work, Seneff claimed that Americans might not have enough cholesterol, rather than too much. In 2014–2016, she was suggested as an expert witness in a lawsuit against Pfizer. This lawsuit was about their cholesterol medicine, Lipitor. However, the court did not accept her claims. This was mainly because she was not considered an expert in that field. Also, she could not provide strong evidence linking Lipitor to any specific harm.
Journal on Vaccine Theories
Seneff is an editor for a journal called International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research (IJVTPR). This journal is known for sharing information about COVID-19 vaccines that many experts consider incorrect. In May 2021, Seneff published a paper in this journal. It was titled "Worse Than the Disease?" and discussed possible unexpected effects of mRNA vaccines.
