TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 26, 2019) – Nine University of South Florida faculty members, including the deans of two USF colleges, have been named new fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The honor, announced today, is one of the most prestigious among academic researchers worldwide.  AAAS is the world’s largest scientific society, recognizing research and scholarly excellence in fields ranging from engineering to health sciences.

The group of nine from USF are part of a class of nearly 450 faculty members nationwide selected as AAAS Fellows by their peers.  This class brings the total number of USF AAAS Fellows to 73.

“We are incredibly proud of the talented and highly-accomplished individuals from USF selected for the 2019 class of AAAS Fellows,” said Dr. Paul Sanberg, the university’s senior vice president for research, innovation & knowledge enterprise. “These individuals not only lead their respective fields on a national and global level, but are a guiding force here at USF as we continue to rise in the ranks of America’s great research universities.”

The full list of 2019 fellows from USF (full bios are available here):

Dr. Robert H. Bishop (Engineering, USF College of Engineering dean) - for pioneering research and exceptional development of spacecraft guidance and navigation systems.

Dr. Michelle Suzanne Bourgeois (Psychology) - for distinguished contributions to the field of cognitive communication disorders.

Dr. Robert D. Frisina (Medical Sciences) for distinguished, interdisciplinary contributions to the field of hearing science.

Dr. Ivan Oleynik (Physics) for distinguished contributions to the field of computational materials science.

Dr. Julianne Serovich (Medical Sciences, USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences dean) for distinguished contributions to the medical sciences.

Dr. Lindsey “Les” N. Shaw (Biological Sciences) for distinguished advances in understanding mechanisms of pathogenesis in drug-resistant bacteria.

Dr. Paul Elliott Spector (Psychology) for distinguished contributions to industrial-organizational psychology and social science research methodology.

Dr. Lilia M. Woods (Physics) for distinguished contributions to condensed matter and materials physics.

Dr. Sarah Y. Yuan (Medical Sciences) for distinguished contributions in advancing molecular pathophysiology of trauma, sepsis, atherosclerosis, and diabetes.

The tradition of AAAS Fellows dates back to 1874. This honor comes with an expectation that recipients maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.

The new fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Seattle.  They will be celebrated by their USF colleagues at a luncheon on Feb. 19, featuring a keynote address by USF President Steven C. Currall, himself an AAAS Fellow since 2013.

About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida, established in 1956 and located in Tampa, is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. The USF System includes three separately accredited institutions: USF, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee. Serving more than 50,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.8 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF ranks in the top 25 nationally for research expenditures among public universities, according to the National Science Foundation. In 2018, the Florida Board of Governors designated USF as a Preeminent State Research University, placing USF in the most elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

About the AAAS

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, see www.aaas.org.