Four College Faculty Named AAAS Fellows

Four Penn State Science faculty members were named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Fellows are Sarah Assmann, Waller Professor of Biology; Philip Bevilacqua, professor of chemistry; Barbara Garrison, head and Shapiro Professor of Chemistry; and Blair Hedges, professor of biology.

credit: The American Association for the Advancement of Science (www.aaas.org)

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world's largest general scientific society and the publisher of the journal Science. Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers. Awarded to 531 individuals this year, the honor is bestowed upon members of the AAAS whose efforts to advance science or its applications are deemed to be scientifically or socially distinguished. The Fellows will receive certificates and pins during the AAAS annual meeting in San Diego in February.

Assmann receives her award for distinguished contributions to the filed of plant biology as realized through a holistic approach to understanding the response of plant cells to environmental stimuli.

Bevilacqua receives his award for distinguished contributions to the field of RNA catalysis, RNA folding and roles of RNA in innate immunity.

Garrison receives her award for scientific contributions utilizing theoretical chemistry approaches for understanding complex dynamical phenomena associated with surface physics and chemistry.

Hedges is honored for distinguished contributions to the field of evolutionary biology, especially in revealing connections between biological evolution and Earth history in diverse groups of organisms.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world's largest general scientific society, serving 10 million individuals, and is the publisher of the world-renowned journal, Science.