Striedter_CoverStudents in Professor Georg Striedter’s Advanced Neurobiology course were pleasantly surprised at the beginning of the term when they learned the textbook they would be using was written by their own instructor! Neurobiology: A Functional Approach introduces students to the concepts of neurobiology in a unique way. It considers the whole organism and the problems that the brain helps the organism solve. Striedter’s background as an evolutionary biologist no doubt had a big role to play in his approach to writing the book. A gifted storyteller, Striedter is passionate about connecting with students and challenging their thinking at the same time. His approach has clearly been effective as the feedback for both the book and his course has been overwhelmingly positive. One reviewer likened it to a classic novel that is also full of deep knowledge of neuroscience. The book also comes loaded with features that enhance learning. “The exercises between the sections tested my knowledge of the bigger picture and helped me to connect concepts,” says Erik Navarro, undergraduate in Striedter’s class. Writing the field’s new leading text is by no means an easy feat. Unlike writing research papers which are reviewed and published with some frequency, writing a scholarly textbook is a long and challenging road that can be an exercise in delayed gratification. Striedter remarks that working with a book publisher can also be a challenge in its own way. There are always compromises on both sides. In the end, it was clearly well worth the effort. This is Striedter’s second book and he is already working on his third. Congratulations, Professor Striedter.

From the Spring 2017 CNLM NeuroTimes. Click here to download full newsletter.