Twenty-nine Kent State faculty members have been named to be in the top 2% of scientists in the world based on a recent study published by Stanford University scholars.
The report, published in the PLOS Biology Journal, evaluated more than six million scientists across 22 different fields and 176 sub-fields from 1996 until 2019. The top 2% list is made up of more than 100,000 most-cited scientists who have authored at least five scientific papers.
It means a lot to be on this list. I believe it sends a positive message to female scientists, as well as the next generation of female scientists, that you can be at the top of your field in terms of research but continue to make meaningful contributions to teaching and administration while having a happy and fulfilling personal life.
My broad area of research is neuroscience. It is truly fascinating. I study the central nervous system which is extremely complex and it is critical to approach this work from a multidisciplinary standpoint. That’s why the work is so interesting. I get to examine this from a multitude of angles with multiple researchers from multiple disciplines.
Scientific research requires resilience and patience. However, it is incredibly important and extremely rewarding.
My research is in three main areas: motivation, reward, and drug addiction; neuroendocrine function; and spinal cord injury. Specifically, I study effects of chronic spinal cord injury on reflex generators in the spinal cord that controls sexual and bladder function in rodent models[MSM1] . My lab investigates the neuronal pathways that control reproductive endocrine function. In particular, the mechanisms by which distinct cell populations in the hypothalamus control pulsatile and surge secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone, is investigated. Additionally, the neural mechanisms by which social experiences influence vulnerability for drug addiction using rodent models[MSM2] is also investigated.
To advance our knowledge about the functions of the central nervous system and to contribute to the development of treatments for dysfunction after trauma or in disease.
I am surprisingly good at decluttering homes and decorating.
Spending time with my three children and my husband.
By being one of only two women, and the only woman in the College of Arts and Sciences on the list, I hope to inspire, mentor, and support other women at Kent State and in my home college. I believe that it is possible to have a fulfilling family life, while actively pursuing research, undertaking administrative work, and teaching. You just have to find your own personal balance.
