Multiple SAAED institutions receive AAAS Fellow honors
By Alisa Boswell-Gore
Southern region U.S. – Researchers from southern region land-grant universities were honored as 2021 Honorary Fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
AAAS Fellows are a distinguished group of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines, including research, teaching, technology, administration in academia, industry and government, as well as excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.
Gary Thompson (University of Arkansas), executive director of the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (agInnovation South), said these recognitions build a reputation for excellence among land-grant universities in the southern region.
“We are extremely proud of our faculty,” said Robert Gilbert (University of Florida), chair of the executive committee of agInnovation South. “Their recognition as AAAS Honorary Fellows puts them in a special category of scientists who do extraordinary research that really matters to stakeholders and to society in general.”
Eligible nominees are members whose efforts to advance science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished. Election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor. Fellows are elected annually and were recognized for their achievements at the AAAS annual meeting, which took place virtually Feb. 17-20.
There were 38 recipients of the honor from southern region universities, with North Carolina State University having eight recipients, the University of Florida having seven and the University of Tennessee having six.
According to agInnovation South, southern region universities are top tier for research spending and scientific/academic articles.
The following is the list of southern region researchers who received the 2021 AAAS Fellowship:
- David Edgar Anderson, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Medical Sciences
- Scott Angle, University of Florida, Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Morton A. Barlaz, North Carolina State University, Engineering
- Deborah Bell-Pedersen, Texas A&M University, Biological Sciences
- Samuel J. Bentley Sr., Louisiana State University, Geology and Geography
- James E. Byers, University of Georgia, Biological Sciences
- Janice Elaine Chambers, Mississippi State University, Biological Sciences
- Sixue Chen, University of Florida, Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Marc Anthony Cubeta, North Carolina State University, Biological Sciences
- Karen E. Daniels, North Carolina State University, Physics
- Brad Day, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Jason A. Delborne, North Carolina State University, Societal Impacts of Science and Engineering
- Candace H. Haigler, North Carolina State University, Biological Sciences
- Kathy Kay Hartford Svoboda, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences
- Ayman Hawari, North Carolina State University, Engineering
- Shuijin Hu, North Carolina State University, Biological Sciences
- Valen Earl Johnson, Texas A&M University, Statistics
- Linda Christine Kah, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Geology and Geography
- Matias Kirst, University of Florida, Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Jessica Carol Kissinger, University of Georgia, Biological Sciences
- Yuncong Li, University of Florida, Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Xiang-Jin Meng, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Biological Sciences
- Robin R. Murphy, Texas A&M University, Information, Computing and Communication
- Leo Piilonen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Physics
- Jose C. Principe, University of Florida, Engineering
- Kevin D. Raney, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Chemistry
- Tony Romeo, University of Florida, Biological Sciences
- Stephen H. Safe, Texas A&M University, Biological Sciences
- Carl E. Sams, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Agriculture, Food and Renewable Resources
- Virender K. Sharma, Texas A&M University, Chemistry
- Kathryn Sieving, University of Florida, Biological Sciences
- Yasuhiro Suzuki, University of Kentucky, Biological Sciences
- Reginald Wayne Taylor, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dentistry and Oral Health Sciences
- Mary C. Watzin, North Carolina State University, Biological Sciences
- Zakiya S. Wilson-Kennedy, Louisiana State University, Education
- Hanno Weitering, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Physics
- Steven W. Wilhelm, University of Tennessee (Knoxville), Biological Sciences
- Patricia L. Yager, University of Georgia, Biological Sciences
For more information about this year’s AAAS Fellow, see: https://www.aaas.org/page/2021-fellows