Member Spotlight: Suzanne Perkins

Member Spotlight

Feb 28

Written By LEO Communications Committee

SUZANNE PERKINS

Ann Arbor

Psychology; Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental Psychology

Lecturer I

What is your area of specialty?

I specialize in the educational neuroscience of maltreatment in children.

Check out Susan’s professional website: https://www.suzanneperkinsphd.com

What are you proud of as a lecturer?

I wrote two electives for the Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience major that were very popular and increased the offerings for a fast growing major where the students need 300 and 400 level electives. The courses are both interdisciplinary and problem based, which is the direction education should be going - Educational Neuroscience and the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience of trauma and Stress.

What is something that you are proud of outside of your role as a lecturer?

I received an NIH re-entry in Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences award from NICHD. This is a two year grant where the sole purpose is to fund me to re-enter science because my work has high value for NICHD. I left research due to a cancer diagnosis and have had a very hard time re-entering the research pipeline. My research focuses on a cognitive outcomes of child maltreatment and I will be transitioning to a research faculty position at ISR and working with the Center for Innovation in Child Maltreatment Policy, Research, and Training at Washington University in St. Louis. I can only find a record of two other Michiganders receiving this award.

What might others not know about you?

I helped write the Voters Not Politicians amendment language mostly because I was at the right place at the right time. One news article said that among the citizens involved was a neurosurgeon, which was me, but I am not a neurosurgeon.