BrainFacts.org Welcomes New Editor-in-Chief Richard Wingate
WASHINGTON, DC — Richard Wingate, DPhil, a principal investigator at the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Reader and head of anatomy at King’s College London, has been named BrainFacts.org’s new editor-in-chief. BrainFacts.org, the source for trusted and authoritative information about the progress and promise of brain research, is a public information initiative of The Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
Wingate officially begins his tenure as editor-in-chief of BrainFacts.org on January 1, 2019. He will serve as editor-in-chief through December 2021. Wingate previously served on SfN’s Public Education and Communication Committee.
“BrainFacts.org is a dynamic resource for lay-audiences across the globe to learn about the brain and nervous system,” said Richard Huganir, SfN’s president. “Richard has a clear vision to take the site into a new era to better engage our audience with interactive experiences to expand their knowledge of the basic inner workings of the brain.”
Since launched six years ago, nearly 8.9 million users have visited BrainFacts.org, with more than 10.8 million sessions and 17.4 million page views on the site. BrainFacts.org offers a diverse collection of content including animations, articles, and videos. After a relaunch last year, the new site also features an interactive, easy-to-navigate 3D human brain model that allows users to isolate and explore regions of the brain.
“I am honored to have been chosen as the new editor-in-chief of BrainFacts.org and am thrilled to share my vision for the future,” Wingate said. “My desire is for BrainFacts.org to continue to excel and insightfully build its ability as a platform that translates the complexities of the brain in a way that is accessible to all audiences.”
SfN Council is grateful for the four years of service of outgoing Editor-in-Chief John H. Morrison. As a direct result of Morrison’s leadership, BrainFacts.org is well positioned as a beacon for nurturing curiosity and embracing the latest interactive ways of learning, and SfN looks forward to seeing that legacy of excellence continue under Wingate’s leadership.
“There is no question that this is an exciting time for neuroscience,” Morrison said. “Our futures are strongly influenced by and sometimes regulated by discoveries in science. Richard has the capability and enthusiasm to help BrainFacts.org continue in its mission to share stories about the wonders of the brain and mind for educators, learners of all ages, and policymakers.”
Wingate joined the King’s College London faculty in 1997 after completing an MRC Travelling Fellowship with Professor Mary Beth Hatten at Rockefeller University. He returned to London as a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellow. He earned a DPhil in Neurophysiology at Oxford University.
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 37,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
