Neurobiologist
Ben Barres (1954-2017) was a neurobiologist who advocated for gender equality in science.
FAST FACTS:
- Became the first openly transgender member elected to the US National Academy of Sciences (an organization that includes many leading US scientists)
- Worked at Stanford University
- Revolutionized the understanding of the human brain by working on a type of brain cell called glia
- Made many discoveries on how synapses form in developing brains, which lead him to the glial cell
- Transitioned in 1997 at the age of 43
- He devoted most of his last decades describing the challenges he faced as a woman in science and provided ways to correct the system that is biased against women and minorities.
- He, like many of us, was a big Harry Potter fan
To learn more about Ben Barres check out the links below: