Featured EyeWirer: Beckee Morrison

A behind the scenes look at the EyeWire community.

Meet the EyeWirers who are mapping the retinal connectome. This week’s Featured EyeWirer is Beckee Morrison.

Beckee Morrison aka @beckeemo grew up in the Freedom Hills of Alabama, but now lives on the island of Maui. She teaches world history to kids who are about 11 years old.

Why do you play EyeWire?

I play EyeWire because it is really cool, and it’s so much fun! It’s great to know that you’re working on cutting edge science from the comfort of your own home. I also find this kind of work really relaxing. Before I was a teacher, I used to draw maps for a living. The 2D representation of a 3D structure reminds me of working with topographic maps and Digital Elevation Models in grad school. I miss that kind of visual work, and EyeWire seems to stimulate that part of my brain.

How did you discover EyeWire?

I like to listen to podcasts. I heard Dr. Seung on the RSA audio podcast, and–somehow–found a video version on my iPad where I could see the slides and see how EyeWire worked. I knew then that I just had to be a part of this!

Share a short story that helps the world get to know you.

I make my students interview a grandparent or another older relative as part of teaching them research skills. One of them was practicing, and she asked me what I was proudest of in my life. I bet she expected me to say, “Being the first in my family to graduate college,” or, “Drawing maps for The Washington Post,” or something like that. I said, “I once backed into a parallel parking space, uphill, with a tricky clutch, across the street from a good-looking cop who was writing somebody else a ticket.” My students were kind of stunned at that answer, but when they grown up, I’m sure they’ll appreciate that story more!