By Luke Lattanzi | Staff Writer
Dr. Annie Ginty, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, was recently named the recipient of the 2023 Early Career Impact Award from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
The Early Career Impact Award recognizes those who have done research within the first 10 years after earning their Ph.D. Ginty was nominated for the award by the American Psychosomatic Society for her research on the psychological impacts of stress.
“I was honored to receive the award from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences,” Ginty said via email. “FABB’s goal of communicating science with policy makers and the public is something I value greatly as a scientist and educator.”
According to Ginty, her research is aimed at examining how the brain links stress with cognitive, biological and behavioral changes that matter for health. Ginty also said she felt drawn to researching this topic due to the universality of stress as a human experience, and yet the many different ways people respond to stress, both mentally and physically.
“Stress is something that we all experience, however there are vast individual differences in how we perceive and respond to stress,” Ginty said. “I am drawn to these individual differences in how we experience stress and how such differences lead to risk for disease.”
Ginty completed her bachelor’s of science in neuroscience and psychology at Allegheny College in 2009. She then completed her doctorate in behavioral medicine at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom in 2012. She said she felt drawn to Baylor due to its unique opportunities for high-level research as well as undergraduate teaching.
“During my on-campus interview, I was impressed by the faculty and staff and how it connected with the core values of the university,” Ginty said. “Specifically, I saw Baylor as a place where I could conduct high-level research, mentor and teach undergraduate students, and engage with my local community through service. A university that values and supports faculty engaging in all these areas is rare.”
Current Ph.D. candidate Alexandra Tyra said Ginty has served as a great mentor, helping her to learn and build her own career.
“Dr. Ginty truly cares about where her students will land after their time with her, and she makes a point of personalizing each student’s training experience so that it aligns with their desired career,” Tyra said via email. “She is well connected within her field, and generously shares that network with her trainees. In my personal experience, she has provided numerous opportunities to pursue my own research interests, allowing me to run studies and write manuscripts on topics of my choice.”
Tyra also said Ginty has been a great source of encouragement for her, helping her to accomplish things she originally never thought she was capable of.
“She also encouraged me to apply for a Fulbright Award, which not only was a huge addition to my [resume], but also gave me the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct research abroad,” Tyra said. “I am currently in the process of applying for postdoctoral fellowships, and Ginty has proven to be an invaluable resource.”
Ginty also advised future students and teachers in her field that if you find a career you truly love, it will never feel like hard work.
“My father was a laborer and always told me if you enjoy what you do, it will never feel like hard work,” Ginty said. “He loved his job even if it meant working outside all day in the frigid Cleveland winter temperatures. Over the past decade, I have come to fully understand what he meant. I have studied cardiovascular responses to stress since I was an undergraduate student [and] each day, I still find myself excited to continue studying this area.”
