The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist - Paperback

by Ben Barres (Author), Nancy Hopkins (Foreword by)

A POIGNANT LGBT MEMOIR: A leading trans neuroscientist recounts his gender transition, his groundbreaking scientific work, and his advocacy for gender equality in STEM.

"A portrait of a singular personality that was shaped by his status as an outsider." --Science

Ben Barres was known for his groundbreaking scientific work and advocacy for gender equality in science. In this autobiography, completed shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer in December 2017, Barres (born in 1954) describes a life full of remarkable accomplishments--from his childhood as a precocious math and science whiz to his experiences as a female student at MIT in the 1970s to his gender confusion and later transition in his 40s, to his scientific work and role as teacher and mentor at Stanford.

As an undergraduate at MIT, Barres experienced discrimination, but it was after transitioning that he realized how differently male and female scientists are treated. He became an advocate for gender equality in science, and later in life responded pointedly to Larry Summers's speculation that women were innately unsuited to be scientists. At Stanford, Barres made important discoveries about glia, the most numerous cells in the brain, and he describes some of his work. "The most rewarding part of his job," however, was mentoring young scientists. That, and his advocacy for women and transgender scientists, ensures his legacy.

Author Biography

The late Ben Barres was Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University where he was on the faculty from 1993 until his death in late 2017. He dealt with the emotional and physical effects of being transgender until he transitioned from Barbara to Ben in his 40's. Ben was one of the world's leading researchers on the role of glia, the most numerous and least understood type of brain cell, in development and disease and he was the first transgender scientist to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences.