Erich Jarvis investigates the neurobiology of learned vocal communication in the rare group of animals that have this ability, as a model for the study of how the brain generates, perceives, and learns complex behaviors, such as spoken language. His specific quest is to determine the molecular mechanisms that construct, modify, and maintain neural circuits for vocal learning and then engineer brain circuits to repair and enhance those behaviors.

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Awards and Achievements

  • First Place Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research ( 1986)
  • NIH-MBRS Annual Symposium
  • MARC-NIGMS Pre-doctoral National Research Service Award ( 1988-1993)
  • FORD Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship ( 1988)
  • Esther & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Award ( 2000-2003)
  • Whitehall Foundation Award ( 2000-2003)
  • David and Lucile Packard Foundation Award ( 2000-2005)
  • Hall of Fame of the Alumni Association of Hunter College ( 2002)
  • NSF The Alan T. Waterman Award ( 2002)
  • Human Frontier’s in Science Program Award for Young Investigators ( 2002)
  • Distinguished Alumni Award of the City University of New York ( 2003)
  • NIH Director’s Pioneer Award ( 2005)
  • Discover magazine top 100 science discoveries of 2005 - avian brain nomenclature listed at #51 ( 2006)
  • Diverse magazine’s top 10 emerging scholars of 200 ( 2006)
  • Popular Science Magazine’s Brilliant 10 of 2006 under the age of 45 ( 2006)
  • Mental Floss Magazine’s 10 Trail blazing scientist of 2007 ( 2007)
  • Creator Synectics’ top 100 geniuses ( 2007)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator ( 2008-present)
  • HHMI Investigator Award ( 2008)
  • History Makers Documentary: African American Leaders in Science. Chicago, IL ( 2010)
  • Futurish magazine named Jarvis as one of 2014’s Citizens of the Next Century ( 2013)
  • Co-recipient of Summit Award with NSF and NINDS from the American Society for Association Executives for successes of the Society for Neuroscience’s Scholars Program ( 2014)

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