Victoria Chan-Palay facts for kids
Victoria Lye-Hua Chan-Palay was born in Singapore on October 9, 1945. She is a brilliant scientist who studies the brain, known as a neuroscientist. She has worked in both the United States and Switzerland.
Growing Up and Her Studies
Victoria Chan-Palay is the second daughter of Dr. Chan Ah Kow, a famous swimming coach from Singapore. Her sister, Patricia Chan, was also a talented swimmer who represented Singapore in big competitions like the Southeast Asian Games in the 1960s and 1970s. Victoria herself was excellent at science in school and even competed in international swimming events.
In 1962, she received a scholarship to study at Smith College in the United States, where she graduated in 1965. She then continued her education at the Tufts University School of Medicine, earning her Ph.D. in 1969. Later, in 1975, she made history at Harvard Medical School. She was the first woman to graduate with an M.D. degree with the highest honors, called "summa cum laude."
Her Amazing Science Career
Victoria Chan-Palay did very important research in neuroscience, which is the study of the brain and nervous system. Her work in the 1970s helped us understand more about how our brains work.
She also started a science magazine called Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. This magazine shares new discoveries about brain conditions that affect older people.
In 1979, Victoria Chan-Palay was chosen as a White House Fellow. This is a special program where talented people get to work with high-level government officials. She became an assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Harold Brown. This was a big achievement, making her one of the first people from Singapore to reach such an important position in the United States government.
Later, she moved to Switzerland. From 1989, she taught at the University of Zurich Medical School. Her excellent work was recognized when she received the Humboldt Prize in Medical Research from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
