AAAS Honors Seven Faculty With Rank Of Fellow

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(Last updated 11/14/02)

AAAS HONORS SEVEN FACULTY WITH RANK OF FELLOW

By Pam Frost Gorder

Seven Ohio State faculty members have just received the rank of Fellow from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The new Fellows include:

Albert de la Chapelle, director of the Human Cancer Genetics Program at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and holder of the Charlotte and Leonard Immke Chair of Cancer Genetics, for his “pioneering studies on the familial and genetic basis of human colorectal cancers and other malignant diseases.” Among his many achievements, de la Chapelle has identified genes that play a part in promoting or suppressing tumor growth, and developed more accurate genetic testing.
Arthur J. Epstein, Distinguished University Professor of physics and chemistry and director of the Center for Materials Research, for “leadership in the fundamental and applied interdisciplinary science of conducting, semiconducting, and magnetic polymers, particularly for the co-discovery and studies of organic-based magnets.” Epstein has invented plastics and devices that could one day replace metals in electronics and lead to light, flexible video screens and high-density computer memories. His extensive publications and patents are among the most cited in the field.
Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychology and psychiatry, and director of the Division of Health Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, for “pioneering research on the relations between psychological and immunological factors and for a key role in the development of the field of psychoneuroimmunology.” Kiecolt-Glaser and Ronald Glaser, professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics, have demonstrated that psychological stress can decrease a person’s immune response and even lessen the effectiveness of influenza and pneumonia vaccines.
Randy Nelson, Distinguished University Professor of psychology and neuroscience, for “integrative perspectives on behavioral biology that are both evolutionarily and medically grounded.” Nelson has shown how seasonal changes affects animals’ susceptibility to illness. For instance, shortened daylight hours cause mice to produce melatonin, which boosts immune response; the work has implications for humans who take melatonin supplements for sleep disorders. Nelson has also used mice to study the physiological mechanisms underlying motivated behaviors such as aggressive and reproductive behaviors.
William F. Saam, professor and chair of the Department of Physics, for "innovative research on interfacial phenomena, especially wetting transitions, and for academic leadership." Saam pioneered modern ideas of how solids, liquids, and gases interact with each other -- leading to predictions of whether a liquid will form beads on a surface or spread evenly. Since becoming chair in 1998, Saam expanded departmental research to include new areas such as experimental biophysics and string theory, and hired a new Ohio Eminent Scholar in Experimental Physics.
Steven A. Slack, associate vice president for Agricultural Administration and director of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, for “basic contributions to pathogen detection and host plant resistance in potatoes, potato tissue culture, and certification systems and for leadership in two professional societies.” Slack has identified genes that help plants resist bacteria and viruses, and developed hearty potato varieties using these genes. He has served as president of both the American Phytopathological Society and the Potato Association of America.
Brian H. Smith, Professor of Entomology, for "distinguished contributions to the field of learning and memory, particularly for studies of how olfactory conditioning and discrimination in honey bees." Smith investigations include the genetic and neural mechanisms underlying odor learning and discrimination. He has demonstrated that insects can be trained to respond to different scents, and that there is a genetic basis for this behavior. These studies help to reveal broad mechanisms of olfaction that apply to a wide array of animals, including humans.

With these seven new additions, Ohio State now has 61 AAAS Fellows among its faculty.

AAAS members are elevated to the rank of Fellow because of their efforts toward advancing science or fostering applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. AAAS represents the world's largest federation of scientists and works to advance science for human well-being through its projects, programs and publications. It conducts programs in the areas of science policy, science education and international scientific cooperation.

The association will publish the names of all 291 new Fellows in an upcoming issue of the journal Science. The Fellows will be honored in Denver in February 2003, during the AAAS Annual Meeting.