Born: 1963 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Biography:
Michelle Anne Mahowald, known as Misha, was an American computational neuroscientist who made significant contributions to the field of neuromorphic engineering. Born on January 12, 1963, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Alfred and Joan Fischer Mahowald and had a younger sister named Sheila.
After completing high school, Mahowald attended the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she graduated with a degree in biology in 1985. She continued her education at Caltech as a PhD student in Computation and Neural Systems, working under the guidance of Professor Carver Mead, a renowned expert in VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration). Combining the fields of biology, computer science, and electrical engineering, Mahowald embarked on a groundbreaking project to develop a silicon retina for her doctoral thesis.
The silicon retina Mahowald created utilized analog electrical circuits to mimic the functions of rod cells, cone cells, and other non-photoreceptive cells in the human retina. Not only was her invention highly original and potentially beneficial for restoring sight to the blind, but it also represented an impressive convergence of electrical and biological engineering. Her work earned her a well-deserved reputation as one of the most prominent female engineers of her time. In fact, Mahowald’s silicon retina was considered the best attempt to date at developing a stereoscopic vision system.
In 1992, Mahowald received her doctorate in computational neuroscience for her innovative research. Her invention of the silicon retina and the silicon neuron garnered considerable attention, leading to publications in prestigious scientific journals such as Scientific American and Nature. Furthermore, Mahowald obtained four patents and was awarded the Clauser Prize for her exceptional dissertation. The dissertation was later published in book form, further solidifying her influential role in the field.
Following the completion of her studies, Mahowald embarked on a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford, collaborating with accomplished neuroscientists Kevan Martin and Rodney Douglas. Subsequently, she relocated to Zürich, Switzerland, to participate in the establishment of the Institute of Neuroinformatics at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, a research institution focused on understanding the key principles of brain function and developing intelligent artificial systems.
In recognition of her groundbreaking contributions, Mahowald was inducted into the Women in Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame in 1996. However, tragically, at the end of that same year, Mahowald took her own life in Zürich, leaving behind an enduring legacy of pioneering work in the field of neuromorphic engineering.
Awards:
– Inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame (1996)