Six Ohio State Faculty Among the 2014 Class of AAAS Fellows
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Six Ohio State University faculty have been elected this year as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. New Fellows will be welcomed in a ceremony at the AAAS annual meeting in San Jose, Calif., in February.
“This worldwide recognition of our faculty by their peers underscores their many contributions to society in disciplines from chemistry and crop science to entomology and pathology,” said President Michael V. Drake. “Our researchers continue to push the boundaries of their scholarship and teaching to improve lives and solve problems of global significance.”
In all, 401 members have received the honor this year in recognition of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Founded in 1848, AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society. The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874.
In an increasingly competitive environment, this kind of support from colleagues is a mark of distinction for Ohio State’s research enterprise, said Caroline Whitacre, vice president for research, who was elected to the 2004 class of AAAS Fellows.
“These scientists have made incredible contributions to our understanding of the complex world we live in,” Whitacre said. “Being recognized for these discoveries demonstrates their strengths as scholars and helps affirm Ohio State’s status as a premier research university.”
Ohio State’s newest Fellows are:
Lynne Abruzzo, professor of pathology, for significant contributions to the clinical and translational biology of the cytogenomics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other hematologic malignancies, particularly using newer technologies.
Daniel Herms, professor and chair of entomology, for distinguished research, teaching and outreach contributions to the science and application of tree-insect interactions, including ecology, impact and management.
Bruce McPheron, dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, for distinguished contributions to agricultural entomology, particularly for work on the molecular diagnostics of quarantine pest species, and stellar contributions to agricultural administration.
Michael Oglesbee, professor and chair of veterinary biosciences, for distinguished contributions to our understanding of virus-heat shock protein interactions related to infection, virulence and impact on innate and adaptive antiviral immunity.
Esther van der Knaap, associate professor of horticulture and crop science, for distinguished contributions to the field of plant genetics and molecular biology, particularly for increasing our basic understanding of genes controlling fruit shape and size.
Jessica Winter, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, for distinguished contributions in the field of chemical and biomedical engineering, particularly the synthesis and development of magnetic quantum dots for cell imaging and separations.
