Kristen M. Harris

Kristen Harris is Professor of Neuroscience and Fellow in the Center for Learning and Memory at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research group at UT Austin uses serial section electron microscopy to study synapses. She is also a member of the Institute for Neuroscience and the Center for Theoretical and Computational Learning.

Early life and education Harris was born in North Dakota. In 1976, she earned a bachelor's degree at Minnesota State University Moorhead, majoring in biology and minoring in both chemistry and mathematics. Three years later, she earned her master's degree from the University of Illinois and went on to do graduate work at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. She obtained a PhD in neurobiology in 1982, after which she held a two-year postdoctoral position at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Research Harris's research focus is to elucidate structural components involved in the cell biology of learning and memory. 2012–present Scientific Advisory Board, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany 2014–present Scientific Advisory Board, HHMI – Janelia Research Campus, Virginia 2014 Outstanding Speaker Award, American Association for Clinical Chemistry 2015–present Scientific Advisory Board, Allen Institute for Brain Research, Seattle, WA 2016 Elected Fellow, AAAS 2024 Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)