Susan McConnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susan McConnell
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| Born | 1958 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Known for | Neural development |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neurobiology |
| Institutions | Stanford University |
| Doctoral advisor | Simon LeVay |
Susan McConnell is a brilliant scientist who studies how our brains develop. She is a neurobiologist, which means she focuses on the nervous system, especially the brain. Dr. McConnell is a professor at Stanford University. She helps us understand how the amazing connections in our brains are formed.
She is a special professor at Stanford. She is also a member of important science groups. These include the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Contents
Her Journey to Science
Susan McConnell went to Harvard College and Radcliffe College. She earned her first degree there in 1980. She then continued her studies at Harvard University.
In 1987, she earned her PhD in neurobiology. A PhD is a very high degree that shows you are an expert in your field. After that, she did more research at Stanford University.
Discoveries About the Brain
Dr. McConnell's research helps us understand how neurons, which are brain cells, grow and connect. She studies how these cells are made and how they become different types. Her work shows how they form working parts of the brain.
How Brain Cells Are Made
Dr. McConnell found that how a cell divides is very important. It helps decide what kind of brain cell it will become. She showed that a cell's "cleavage plane" (how it splits) guides brain development.
Her work also found a key part of this process. It showed that special proteins called Notch proteins help decide a cell's future. They help new cells become either a neuron or another brain cell.
How Brain Cells Move
Dr. McConnell's research also looked at how brain cells move. She found that young brain cells use many different paths to get to their final spot in the brain. This was a new idea at the time.
Before her work, many scientists thought brain cells only moved in one way. Her discoveries changed how we think about brain development. Her recent work continues to explore how brain cells grow, move, and connect.
Teaching and Inspiring Students
Dr. McConnell is also a fantastic teacher. Stanford University has given her two of its highest teaching awards. These are the Hoagland Prize and the Walter J. Gores Award. She has taught classes on brain development since 1989.
From 2010 to 2012, she helped lead a big project at Stanford. This project looked at how students learn. It encouraged students and teachers to think about what and how they learn.
Dr. McConnell also helped create a special course for biology students. In this course, students combine science with art. It helps them think creatively about life sciences.
Photography for Nature
Besides her science work, Dr. McConnell is an amazing wildlife photographer. She became interested in photography after a trip to Svalbard, Norway. She wanted to use photos to tell stories about animal behavior.
She teaches classes on conservation photography at Stanford. Her photos have been in famous magazines. These include Smithsonian and National Geographic.
Dr. McConnell was the first non-art professor to have a show at the Stanford Art Gallery. Her show was called On the Shoulders of Giants. It focused on elephants, poaching, and the problem of the ivory trade.
Personal Life
Susan McConnell is married to Richard Scheller. He is also a very successful scientist.
Awards and Honors
Dr. McConnell is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She is also part of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has received many other important awards for her work, including:
- Krieg Cortical Discoverer (2011)
- MERIT Award, National Institute of Mental Health (2008)
- McKnight Investigator (1997–1999)
- Hoagland Prize for Undergraduate Teaching (1997)
- Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award (1995)
- McKnight Scholar (1993–1996)
- National Science Foundation Presidential Faculty Fellow (1993–1996)
- National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator (1991–1993)
- Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (1991–1993)
- Marcus Singer Award (1990)
- Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences (1989–1994)
- National Research Service Award, National Eye Institute (1987–1989)
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (1981–1984)
