Northwestern University has announced that four of its professors have been named as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for 2024. The professors are recognized for their contributions to various scientific fields.
This year, the AAAS has elected 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators as fellows across 24 scientific disciplines. "This year’s class of fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities," said Sudip S. Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. "At a time when the future of the scientific enterprise in the U.S. and around the world is uncertain, their work demonstrates the value of sustained investment in science and engineering."
Debabrata (Debu) Chakravarti, a professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, focuses his research on how genes and other molecular factors influence tumor growth and reproductive diseases. His research has led to important discoveries related to uterine fibroids, endometriosis, prostate cancer, and the role of cofactors. He has received awards like the Future Leader Award from the International Life Sciences Institute and the Michael S. Brown Junior Faculty Research award from the University of Pennsylvania.
Julius B. Lucks, a professor at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and co-director of the Center for Synthetic Biology, is recognized for his contributions to RNA biology and synthetic biology. His research aims to understand how biological systems respond to environmental changes, leading to advancements in cell free synthetic biology techniques used in diagnostics for water contaminants and pathogens. His work has resulted in field trials in Chicago, Kenya, and Uganda.
Viorica Marian, a professor in Northwestern’s School of Communication and the Weinberg College of Arts and Science, studies the interaction between language and cognition in multilingual speakers. Her research has explored the cognitive implications of multilingualism and she heads the Northwestern University Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Lab. Marian's accomplishments include authoring the book "The Power of Language: How the codes we use to think, speak and live transform our minds."
James M. Rondinelli, a professor in the McCormick School of Engineering, focuses on materials science and engineering, specifically using structure-driven properties for materials development. His research involves exploring complex materials to develop new technologies, leading to discoveries in transition metal compounds and improved materials performance.