Twelve University of Michigan faculty and staff members have been recognized as 2023 fellows for their extraordinary achievements by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
AAAS, the world’s largest general scientific society, announced that 502 scientists, engineers, and innovators have been chosen for the lifetime honor for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements.
The fellows are:
Aimée Classen, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of the U-M Biological Station at LSA, for research that advances both fundamental knowledge regarding ecosystems and pursuit of a sustainable future, as well as exemplary leadership.
Nisha D’Silva, the Donald A. Kerr Endowed Collegiate Professor of Oral Pathology and professor of dentistry at the School of Dentistry, professor of pathology at the Medical School, and member of the Rogel Comprehensive Cancer Center, for contributions to the field of head-and-neck cancer, especially on biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and treatment resistance.
Lola Eniola-Adefeso, the Vennema Endowed Professor of Chemical Engineering, professor of chemical engineering, of macromolecular science and engineering, and of biomedical engineering and associate dean for graduate and professional education at the College of Engineering; and University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, for work in designing vascular-targeted particle therapies, highlighting critical differences between human and mouse blood, and leadership in biomedical engineering and diversity in academia.
Margherita Fontana, the Clifford Nelson Endowed Professor and professor of dentistry at the School of Dentistry, and director of the Global Initiatives Program in Oral and Craniofacial Health, for contributions to the design and assessment of strategies for reducing disparities in how dental caries are recognized and treated in children in underserved regions.
L. Lacey Knowles, the Robert B. Payne Collegiate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at LSA, and curator at the Museum of Zoology, for research in speciation and the processes that contribute to population divergence.
Nicholas Kotov, the Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, the Joseph B. and Florence V. Cejka Professor of Chemical Engineering, and professor of chemical engineering and of macromolecular science and engineering at the College of Engineering, for contributions to the field of self-organizing materials, particularly as it relates to biomimetic nanocomposites, complex self-assembling nanostructures and chiral nanostructures.
Neal Krause, the Marshall H. Becker Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Public Health and professor emeritus of health behavior and health education at the School of Public Health, for research on stress and the resources people use to cope with it. His work also involves religion and health in later life.
Ethan Kross, professor of psychology at LSA, and professor of management and organizations at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, for research on how people can control their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to improve their lives. He uses various tools (e.g., behavioral, diary, physiological, neuroscience, social media) to address these issues among adult, child, and clinical populations.
Laura Ruetsche, the Louis Loeb Collegiate Professor of Philosophy and professor of philosophy at LSA, for work on the foundations of physical theories, particularly quantum theories. She is also interested in the question of what gender might have to do with the epistemic dimension of scientific inquiry.
Jordan Shavit, the Henry and Mala Dorfman Family Professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and professor of pediatrics and of human genetics at the Medical School, for the care of pediatric patients with blood and cardiovascular diseases, including hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, thrombosis, and thrombophilia. His laboratory studies the genetics of such disorders using genome editing in zebrafish.
James Slavin, professor emeritus of climate and space sciences and engineering at the College of Engineering, for contributions to space and planetary science, and for exemplary leadership in the profession.
Kristen Verhey, the A. Kent Christensen Collegiate Professor and professor of cell and developmental biology at the Medical School, and professor of biophysics at LSA, for contributions to the fields of cell biology and biophysics in understanding microtubules and motors, and development of the tubulin code.
Eligible nominees are members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished and who have been continuous AAAS members for at least four years leading up to the year of nomination. Fellows have included Thomas Edison, W.E.B DuBois, Maria Mitchell, Steven Chu, Ellen Ochoa and Irwin M. Jacobs.
