The Karen Gale Memorial Lectureship for Outstanding Women in Neuroscience
Dr. Karen Gale received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 1975. Gale joined the faculty at Georgetown in 1977, and quickly rose through the ranks in the Department, where she was a full professor for over 25 years. Dr. Gale was a world-recognized leader in the field of epilepsy, and published over 200 papers during her career.
She made seminal contributions to the understanding of neural circuitry that controls seizure propagation, mechanisms of seizure-induced neuroprotection and damage, and effects of early life exposure to anticonvuslant drugs. Dr. Gale’s research was the first to identify the crucial role of basal ganglia nuclei in the control of epilepsy, as well as the role of a region of the piriform cortex, dubbed “Area Tempestas” in the genesis of seizures.
In addition to her scientific achievements, Dr. Gale was a stalwart advocate for trainees, early career investigators, minority scientists, and women scientists. One of Dr. Gale’s most lasting contributions to Georgetown was serving as the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience from 1994-2003. Her continued leadership over the next 11 years helped shape the IPN into not only a world-class training program, but a community cultivated through thoughtful and deliberate action.
In recognition of her advocacy and passion for the advancement of women in science, her family and close colleagues endow this lectureship, with funding generously provided by by the Office of the President at Georgetown University, The American Epilepsy Society, the Society for Neuroscience, and friends of Dr. Gale.
The Karen Gale Memorial Lectureship for Outstanding Women in Neuroscience was founded in 2005, after Dr. Gale’s passing in 2004. Each year, we recognize each year a female scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field, both in the laboratory and through mentorship.
In recognition of Dr. Gale’s belief that graduate trainees should be actively involved in leadership, the selection committee includes two doctoral trainees each from the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience and Department of Pharmacology & Physiology. These trainees serve on the selection and organizing committee with two faculty selected from each program.
The Gale Lectureship, founded in 2015, is one of four endowed lectures in our department. To contribute to the Gale Lecture, visit our Giving page.
DISTINGUISHED LECTURERS
- 2023 Bita Moghaddam, Ph.D.
- 2022 Amy Brooks-Kayal, M.D.
- 2019 Jacqueline Crawley, Ph.D.
- 2018 Karen Wilcox, Ph.D.
- 2017 Jocelyne Bachevalier, Ph.D.
- 2016 Karen Berman, M.D.
- 2015 Helen Scharfman, Ph.D.
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