Azahara Oliva, assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named a Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering. 

Credit: Provided

The fellowship from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation includes $875,000 in unrestricted funds to be used for research over five years. Oliva is among a cohort of 20 early-career scientists and engineers this year receiving fellowships.

"Through her brilliant work on the neurobiology of the brain, Azahara Oliva is gaining insight into things like sleep and memory – fundamental and essential life processes,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The Packard Fellowship confirms her leadership in this field and provides resources for further investigation. I want to congratulate Azahara on this accomplishment and thank the Packard Foundation for supporting this important research.”

Oliva’s research focuses on understanding how brain states support higher-order cognition, and how the spatio-temporal coordination of neuronal function across different brain states helps animals successfully navigate complex environments. 

Read the full story on the College of Arts and Sciences website.