Vol. 38, No. 18

1-7-2009
By:

Eighteen OSU faculty tapped as AAAS Fellows

An astronomer who’s leading the pack in finding planets outside our solar system, a dental researcher who’s interviewed the Dalai Lama and an anthropologist who’s fought to keep science in Ohio’s public school classrooms are among the 18 Ohio State faculty who have been named as new Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the largest science organization in the world.

“The work that these researchers have done in their respective fields of study is an outstanding reminder of their exceptional contributions to science in general, and to this university,” said Caroline Whitacre, vice president for research.

Only one other institution in the country surpassed Ohio State this year in the number of new Fellows. In fact, Ohio State has either been first or second annually since 2002 in the number of faculty named and is believed to have the largest contingent of current Fellows of any university in the country.

This year’s election brings the total number of AAAS Fellows at OSU to 159.

“Ohio State’s large contingent of AAAS fellows from many disciplines underscores the excellence of our faculty,” said President Gordon Gee. “They are among this nation’s finest scholars, and their expertise in the classroom and the laboratory directly benefits our students and our state.”

The University of California, Irvine had the most honored faculty with 21 named as Fellows.

A total of 486 AAAS members nationally were named Fellows because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. New Fellows will be recognized Feb. 14 during the 2009 AAAS annual meeting in Chicago.

Ohio State’s faculty newly named as Fellows include:

• Hojjat Adeli, Civil, Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science: For distinguished contributions to computational infrastructure engineering and worldwide leadership in computational science and engineering as a prolific author, keynote speaker and editor-in-chief of journals.


• Steven Clinton, Hematology/Oncology and Human Nutrition: For distinguished contributions to cancer research, particularly studies of diet, nutrition and pharmaceutical agents on etiology, prevention and therapy of genitourinary cancers.


•  Robert Coleman, Chemistry: For distinguished contributions to chemistry and medicinal chemistry, particularly on synthetic, organic and bioorganic chemistry, and studies of naturally occurring antitumor agents.


• Peter Curtis, Evolutionary, Ecological and Organismal Biology: For distinguished contributions to global change biology and restoration ecology, and for outstanding service as an academic department chair and research administrator.


• Andrew Gould, Astronomy: For pioneering contributions to the theory and practice of gravitational microlensing, particularly as a tool for detection of planets around stars outside our own solar system.


• Tsonwin Hai, Center for Molecular Neurobiology and Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry: For distinguished contributions to molecular biology, particularly studies of ATF/CREB family of transcription factors on stress responses in cancer and diabetes.


• Randall Harris, Emergency Medicine and Pathology and Public Health – Epidemiology: For distinguished contributions to cancer epidemiology and chemoprevention, particularly for studies of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor anti-inflammatory drugs in the prevention of cancer.


• Anita Hopper, Molecular Genetics: For distinguished contributions to molecular genetics and cell biology, particularly for the elucidation of mechanisms that control the distribution of transfer RNA.


• Rebecca Jackson, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: For distinguished contributions to endocrinology, particularly for women’s health and postmenopausal osteoporosis, and as vice chair of the Women’s Health Initiative.


• Chris Kochanek, Astronomy: For pioneering contributions to the theory of strong gravitational lensing and its application to the study of dark matter, cosmological parameters and galaxy evolution.


• Jeffrey McKee, Anthropology and Evolutionary, Ecological and Organismal Biology: For distinguished contributions to paleoanthropology, evolutionary biology and science education.


• Chia-Hsiang Menq, Mechanical Engineering: For distinguished contributions to mechanical engineering, particularly on coordinate metrology, ultra-precision motion control and instrumentation for imaging and manipulation of microstructures.


• Nitin Padture, Materials Science Engineering: For outstanding contributions to advanced ceramics and nanomaterials, particularly for understanding of processing and mechanical behavior of ceramic composites and coatings.


• Thomas Santner, Statistics and Public Health – Biostatistics: For distinguished contributions to statistics, major developments in the design, analysis and application of computer experiments and outstanding service to the profession.


• Larry Schlesinger, Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics: For distinguished contributions and leadership to the fields of microbiology and infectious diseases, particularly in pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and lung innate immunity.


• John Sheridan, Oral Biology and Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics: For distinguished contributions to immunology and virology, particularly in the area of neuroendocrine regulation of the immune response, anti-viral immunity and viral pathogenesis.


• Gary Wenk, Psychology and Neuroscience and Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics: For distinguished contributions in neuropharmacology, neurodegenerative diseases,and neuroinflammatory processes.


• William Yuh, Radiology: For distinguished contributions to medical science, including dynamic contrast enhanced and high dose MR and individualized management for cancer and acute stroke.

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