UC Davis neuroscientist earns national educator award
By Edwin Garcia
Theanne Griffith, an assistant professor and children’s book author, was recognized by the Society of Neuroscience for inspiring the next generation
(SACRAMENTO)
Theanne Griffith, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, has received a prominent award from the Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
Neuroscientist Theanne Griffith is also a children’s author whose books encourage underrepresented kids to pursue STEM careers.
Griffith is being honored for her significant contributions to educating the public about neuroscience, according to SfN. Her research includes understanding how various bodily sensations are encoded in the nervous system,
The recognition comes months after Griffith was awarded a prestigious 2024 Sloan Research Fellowship for early career researchers.
Griffith said she is “honored” and “a little shocked” to receive the Neuroscience Educator Award.
“When I first decided to embark on this journey as a postdoc, I was unsure as to how it would be perceived. But I now realize I shouldn't have been worried,” she said.
“Even though I am a writer, it is hard to put into words what it means to have my efforts to improve science education and literacy validated by the Society for Neuroscience, one of the largest international scientific societies in the world,” she added.
In addition to her work at UC Davis, Griffith is also an author who has written children’s books about science topics.
Her books, including The Magnificent Makers series, have been honored with awards and garnered national press attention. The writings are about Black and brown children who love science, providing critical representation for young children from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science.
According to her SfN award description, Griffith strives to invite children from all backgrounds and cultures to feel a sense of belonging to in STEM fields and make science exciting, adventurous and fun for young audiences.
She is one of six neuroscientists around the country receiving a Science Education and Outreach Award.
Griffith joined the UC Davis faculty in 2020. Shortly after, she was named a UC Davis CAMPOS Faculty Scholar.
Much of her current work is focused on proprioception — the ability to intuitively know where our body and limbs are in space.
Her latest study, available online before official publication, advances work on understanding how a class of proteins called voltage gated sodium channels shape proprioceptive signaling.
