Gill Award honors Harvard neuroscientist

The biennial Gill Symposium and Award ceremony will take place today in the Indiana Memorial Union's Alumni Hall. The esteemed Gill Award is given to a neuroscientist whose work has significantly contributed to the field of neuroscience. The day-long symposium features lectures and a keynote speech by the award recipient and attracts lead researchers in the field of neuroscience from all over the country to Bloomington.\nThe recipient of this year's $25,000 award is Carla Shatz, a professor of neurobiology at the Harvard University Medical School. Her research in brain development has revolutionized the understanding of brain-eye interaction.\n"Carla has pioneered how brain activity and neuron activity cause the brain to develop," said Alex Goodard, a Ph.D. student at Harvard who works directly with Shatz. "She has shown that activity coming in through your eyes influences development of the brain."\nShatz will be making a keynote lecture in which she describes her findings and research in depth to attendees.\nThe Gill Center for Biomolecular Science gives the award in order to contribute to the neuroscience community at IU. The Gill Center was established by Linda and Jack Gill with the intent of training students in state-of-the-art facilities, giving undergraduates the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research and bringing a top faculty together.\n"It was designed to further IU's neuroscience program," Jack Gill said. \nGill, who received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from IU in 1963, has dedicated his life to re-vamping, improving and bringing attention to the neuroscience research conducted at IU through the work of the Gill Center. Besides giving out the award, the Gill Center has five undergraduate and five graduate endowed scholarships, as well as endowed chairs for professors. Gifts are also given for lecturers to come speak at IU. Recently, the Gill Center has contributed significant funds to help build the new multi-science building that is being constructed on campus. \n"The Gill Center, the new-multi-science building and attended gifts are the engine that allows Indiana University to step up to the bar and become a world class leader in research in the neurosciences," Jack Gill said.\nThe award, created in 1997, brings positive attention to IU's neuroscience program. The Symposium provides an opportunity for top researchers to come together and share their ideas with one another, while honoring one scientist's outstanding works. \n"If we want a superstar faculty from Harvard for example, we have to have a reason for them to be here," Jack Gill said. "This prestigious $25,000 award is an efficient incentive. The award is a way to showcase IU and to bring those people to Bloomington and make them aware of the quality program that (is here)."\nJ. Michael Walker, a professor at IU and the director of the Gill Center, has seen the impact the Gill Center has made on campus. \n"The neuroscience department is experiencing considerable growth right now," he said.\nWalker sits on the advisory board that sifts through the best and brightest researchers and collaborates with other board members to choose who will receive the award. Among all of the candidates, "(Shatz's) work was particularly deserving of the award," he said. \nLinda Gill, who also played a substantial role in the candidate selection process, conducted interviews with Shatz's family members, colleagues and her executive assistant. \n"The biggest gift in doing this is getting to know the researchers personally," Linda Gill said. "The people who win these awards are not only excellent in their work, but they are caring and kind people (too)." \nShatz has dedicated over two decades to brain research. Even as a graduate student, she participated in research that provided new insight into the relationship between eye development and the presence of cataracts. \nThe Symposium lectures will begin at 9 a.m. today and conclude at 4:30 p.m at the IMU. Admission is open to all. \n"The best of the best researchers will be here in Bloomington for the day to honor (Shatz)," said Jack Gill. "The Symposium is going to show the world that Indiana is on a roll"