Dr. Frances Skinner, a cherished Senior Scientist at UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute, will retire on December 31 after 26 incredible years.
Though born in Quebec, Dr. Skinner was raised in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Skinner initially aspired to be a veterinarian but followed
her passion for math, earning a Bachelor of Mathematics (B.Math) from the University of Waterloo. She later completed her MASc
and PhD in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto and delved into the then novel field of
Computational Neuroscience in her postdoctoral studies before officially joining Krembil as an independent scientist in 1998.
In 2014, Dr. Skinner achieved Full Professor status at the University of Toronto and has been a Full Member of the School of
Graduate Studies since 2000. A few of her personal career highlights include initiating the Krembil Computational Neuroscience
hub (kcnhub.com), being published in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Computational Neuroscience, chairing the Krembil
Trainee Affairs Committee (TAC) for 12 years and serving as a Director of the Center for Research Education and Training
(CREdiT), which preceded the Office of Research Trainees (ORT) at UHN.
She has served on journal editorial boards, grant review panels and computational neuroscience organizations.
Once retired, Dr. Skinner will remain with UHN as an Emerita Scientist, continuing her research and mentorship. With her
newfound time, she looks forward to exploring her family history and spending time with her two granddaughters.
Thank you, Dr. Skinner, for your remarkable contributions. We wish you a fulfilling and joyful retirement!
Jaideep
JAIDEEP BAINS PH.D.
Director, Krembil Research Institute (KRI)
Interim Director, Krembil Brain Institute
Senior Scientist, Krembil Brain Institute
University Health Network