Caltech Professor Named Among Carnegie’s Great Immigrants for 2024

Viviana Gradinaru, the Lois and Victor Troendle Professor of Neuroscience and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), has been honored as one of the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Great Immigrants for 2024.

The prestigious recognition, part of an initiative established in 2006, celebrates naturalized U.S. citizens who have made significant contributions to American democracy and society across various fields, including science, arts, business, and public service.

Gradinaru, who was born in a farming community under a communist regime in Romania, joins a diverse group of 24 honorees from 16 different countries in this year’s class of Great Immigrants.

Her research focuses on developing technologies for neuroscience, probing circuits underlying locomotion, reward, and sleep, and exploring the benefits of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease patients.

Gradinaru’s journey to scientific prominence began in Romania, where her parents instilled in her the value of education.

“My parents believed in the value of education. They created the space … to have basically an undisturbed environment around me for education,” Gradinaru said, according to the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s website.

She also credits her grandmother for shaping her worldview, saying, “My grandma raised me with this concept of Make yourself useful. It’s something that stayed with me throughout my life.”

Gradinaru immigrated to the United States to study at Caltech, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology before pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience at Stanford University.

She later returned to Caltech, where she now holds her current professorship position.

Throughout her career, Gradinaru has received numerous accolades, including the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science, the National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award, the Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists, and the 2017 Early-Career Scientist Winner in the Innovators in Science Award in Neuroscience from the New York Academy of Sciences.

Gradinaru emphasizes the importance of diversity in scientific advancement, particularly highlighting the contributions of immigrant scientists to American research and innovation.

“What’s special about the United States is that it takes these different backgrounds, and trainings, and possibilities, and puts them together,” she observed.

Reflecting on her own experience and that of her students, Gradinaru added that many of her students are international and travel great distances. “They live here without any family support, and they’re dedicating their time and energy to science. I hope they see … that scientists — immigrant scientists — are valued and seen and appreciated.”

Gradinaru’s recognition as a Great Immigrant not only celebrates her individual accomplishments but also underscores the vital role immigrants play in advancing scientific research in the United States.

This honor reflects positively on Caltech’s commitment to fostering world-class talent and its position as a leading institution in scientific research and education.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Great Immigrants initiative continues to highlight the diverse contributions of naturalized citizens across various fields, reinforcing the importance of immigrant contributions to American society.