Dr. Elba Serrano

 

Dr. Elba Serrano, NMSU Regent’s Professor, is a first-generation-to-college graduate  who earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Rochester. Her laboratory studies the development of the sensory systems for hearing and balance and the role of neuroglia in brain function. At the national level, Dr. Serrano is a prominent contributor to the development of policy for STEM research and workforce development. She has served as a member of the Advisory Committee to NIH Director Francis Collins, and currently serves on the NIH  Multi-Council Working Group that oversees the long-term vision of the BRAIN Initiative. Professor Serrano is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and her achievements in promoting student success have been recognized with a SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Distinguished Mentor Award, and a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring in Science, Engineering, and Math. In 2021 she was selected as a US Fulbright Scholar for research in Portugal. Students with interests in the physical, engineering, and mathematical sciences, neurobiology, data science, neuroethics, science policy, and the intersection between art and science are encouraged to contact her about working with her research team.