image: The AAAS fellows from UC Riverside are (top row, left to right) Xuemei Chen, Rajiv Gupta, (bottom row, left to right) Yingbo Hua and Yinsheng Wang. view more
Credit: UCR Strategic Communications.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Four researchers at the University of California, Riverside have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Including this year's fellows, the total number of UC Riverside faculty members who have been recognized with AAAS Fellow distinction is 194.
Election as a fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. This year AAAS gave this honor to 539 of its members "because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications."
The 2011 AAAS Fellows at UCR are:
Xuemei Chen, a professor of plant cell and molecular biology: "For pioneering discoveries in the field of plant biology in small RNA metabolism and plant development."
Rajiv Gupta, a professor of computer science and engineering: "For contributions to computer architecture and optimizing compilers."
Yingbo Hua, a professor of electrical engineering: "For distinguished contributions to research, teaching and services in signal processing and its applications."
Yinsheng Wang, a professor of chemistry: "For distinguished contributions to the field of bioanalytical chemistry, particularly in the development of novel analytical methods enabling understanding of the biological consequences of DNA damage."
Five UCR alumni were named AAAS Fellows this year: Brian M. Barnes ('77 B.S., Biology) of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; Bradford Hawkins ('84 Ph.D., Entomology) of UC Irvine; Kevin Plaxco ('86 B.S., Biochemistry and Chemistry) of UC Santa Barbara; David C. Geary ('84 M.A., '86 Ph.D., Psychology) of the University of Missouri-Columbia; and Gerald E. Edwards ('69 Ph.D., Plant Science) of Washington State University.
New fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Feb. 18 during the annual meeting of the AAAS in Vancouver, Canada.
All the 2011 AAAS Fellows will be announced in the Dec. 23 issue of Science, a weekly magazine published by the AAAS.
The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. Currently, members can be considered for the rank of fellow if nominated by the steering groups of the AAAS's sections; by three fellows; or by the association's chief executive officer.
The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society. Founded in 1848, the association includes 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals.
The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 20,500 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.
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