By Dana Fair
News and Information Services
Three U-M professors were elected recently to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Profs. Bernard Agranoff, Sheldon Danziger and Rebecca Scott were among those fellows and foreign honorary members inducted into the prestigious society, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in scholarly and professional fields.
Agranoff, the Ralph Waldo Gerard Professor of Neurosciences and professor of biological chemistry, has served as the director of the Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI). Under his direction, MHRI earned an international reputation for its groundbreaking work on neuroscience and biological psychiatry. He currently is doing research that involves regeneration in the central nervous system and the brain’s impact on behavioral disorders.
Danziger, professor of social work and of public policy, is recognized internationally for his multidisciplinary research and scholarly productivity. Published widely in economics, sociology, social work and public policy journals, he currently directs the Center on Poverty, Risk and Mental Health.
Scott, professor of history and former department chair, is a recognized specialist on the history of slavery and emancipation in Latin America and the United States. She is founding director of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program. In 1997, Scott served as a Cuban history adviser for the film “Amistad.”
“The American Academy is unique among America’s academies for its breadth and scope,” said Leslie Berlowitz, the academy’s executive officer. Throughout its history, the academy has gathered individuals with diverse perspectives to participate in studies and projects focusing on advancing intellectual thought and constructive action in American society.”
Election to the academy, which was founded in 1780, is highly competitive. Those selected as fellows and foreign honorary members represent the finest minds and most influential leaders from each generation, including George Washington, Ben Franklin, Daniel Webster, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill, as well as Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. This year’s new members will be welcomed Oct. 5, in Cambridge, Mass.
