Professor Seralynne Vann's inspiration: Professor Eleanor Maguire

Eleanor is a leading figure in the field of memory, having carried out groundbreaking work on spatial memory and navigation systems. Her research has had a huge influence in me from a very early point in my career, as my PhD was on the neural basis of spatial memory. I was very fortunate that after my PhD, Eleanor went from being not only an inspiring name on research papers to someone who has given me a lot of support over the years. Collaborating with Eleanor has been enjoyable and educational; her enthusiasm on projects is contagious.  One of the best lessons I learnt from Eleanor was to trust your instincts and entertain those more left-field ideas. While pushing boundaries is key to making advances in science, so is giving someone the confidence to take those initial steps. 

About Professor Seralynne Vann

Seralynne Vann is a Professor of Neuroscience and a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Basic Biomedical Science, based in the School of Psychology, Cardiff University. Prior to that she held a BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship. Seralynne researches the role of the limbic system, particularly the medial diencephalon, in memory and amnesia. Combining a research career with a long-term physical disability and caring for two young sons has contributed to Seralynne’s keen interest in equality, diversity and inclusivity initiatives.