High honors for Spartans advancing science

Michigan State's 2020 AAAS Fellows are (clockwise, from top left) Alexandra Gade, Joseph Haywood, Beronda Montgomery and Douglas Landis.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, has awarded the distinction of fellow to four MSU faculty members this year. These individuals have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. 

AAAS Fellow’s lifetime honor comes with an expectation that recipients maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.

The following Spartans have been named 2020 AAAS Fellows:

• Alexandra Gade for distinguished contributions to the field of nuclear physics, particularly for gamma-ray spectroscopy of rare isotopes and elucidating the structural properties of nuclei. Gade is a professor of physics at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams and in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

• Joseph Haywood for distinguished contributions to the field of cardiovascular pharmacology, particularly on central nervous system control of blood pressure and for leadership in the biomedical sciences. Haywood is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and assistant vice president for regulatory affairs in the Office of Research & Innovation.

• Douglas Landis for distinguished contributions to the field of ecology, particularly for elucidating the role of landscape structure in regulating insect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Landis is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Entomology and director of MSU business operations with the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

• Beronda Montgomery for distinguished contributions to plant biology and microbiology, particularly using photobiological analyses to investigate physiological and morphogenic adaptation of photosynthetic organisms. Montgomery is an MSU Foundation Professor in the MSU-U.S. Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory and holds appointments in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as well as Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. She is also interim assistant vice president in the Office of Research & Innovation.

“These researchers are leaders in their respective disciplines and representative of the outstanding work being conducted at Michigan State,” said Doug Gage, interim vice president for the Office of Research & Innovation. “Recognition of our faculty further enhances MSU’s research reputation, but more importantly, their scholarship is having an important impact on society today and for years to come.”

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.

The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. Currently, members can be considered for the rank of fellow if nominated by the steering group of their respective sections, by three fellows or by the Association’s chief executive officer. 

Each steering group then reviews the nominations of individuals within its respective section and forwards a final list to the AAAS Council. The AAAS Council votes on the final aggregate list.

This year’s AAAS Fellows will be formally announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science on Friday, Nov. 27. A virtual induction ceremony for the new fellows will be held on Saturday, Feb. 13. New fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue — representing science and engineering, respectively —  rosette pin to commemorate their election.

For additional information about AAAS, see www.aaas.org