Suzana Herculano-Houzel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suzana Herculano-Houzel
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Suzana Herculano-Houzel in 2009
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Suzana Carvalho Herculano
1972 (age 52–53) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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| Alma mater | Case Western Reserve University Pierre and Marie Curie University Max Planck Institute Federal University of Rio de Janeiro |
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| Fields | Neuroscience |
| Institutions | Vanderbilt University |
Suzana Herculano-Houzel, born in 1972, is a Brazilian neuroscientist. This means she is a scientist who studies the brain and the nervous system. She is famous for her work in comparative neuroanatomy. This field compares the brains of different animals. She developed a way to count the number of brain cells, called neurons. She also studied how the size of the brain's outer layer, the cerebral cortex, relates to its folds.
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Suzana Herculano-Houzel's Career
Early Life and Education
Suzana Herculano-Houzel was born in 1972 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She studied biology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She earned her degree in 1992. Later, she got her master's degree in 1995 from Case Western Reserve University. In 1999, she completed her doctorate in neuroscience. This was at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, France. She also did special research after her doctorate. This research was at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.
University Work
From 2002 to May 2016, Dr. Herculano-Houzel taught at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. After that, she moved to the United States. She became a professor at Vanderbilt University. She continues her important research there today.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Dr. Herculano-Houzel loves to share science with people. She has written books that explain science in a simple way. She also writes articles for the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper. You can also read her columns in Scientific American Brazil magazine. In 2013, she made history. She was the first Brazilian person to speak at TED Global. TED Global is a famous conference where people share new ideas.
Awards and Recognition
In 2004, Suzana Herculano-Houzel received a special award. It was the José Reis Prize. This prize is given to people who do a great job of communicating science. It shows how much her efforts to share knowledge are valued.
Personal Life
As an adult, Suzana Herculano-Houzel learned something new about herself. She was diagnosed with autism. This is a condition that affects how a person communicates and interacts.
See also
In Spanish: Suzana Herculano-Houzel para niños
- Evolutionary neuroscience
- Evolution of the brain
