4 IU professors elected to be AAAS fellows

Four faculty members from the IU Department of Biology were elected as fellows to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which ties the department’s record for most inductees in a single year.

Lynda Delph, Roger Hangarter, Roger Innes and Rudy Raff were joined by IU Rudy Professor of political science Edward Carmines and more than 500 other individuals honored in Washington, D.C., for their work.

This is the second consecutive year that list included at least one faculty member from IU.

Innes is the chairman of the IU Department of Biology and was honored for his study of the molecular mechanisms by which plants detect pathogens. He said the inductions will bring more recognition to the department.

“Ever since I joined this department in 1991 I have known it was an outstanding department, but I also felt we were underappreciated by our peers on the West and East Coasts,” he said. “This type of recognition helps to alleviate that issue.”
The addition of this year’s class brings the total number of inductees from the Department of Biology to 19.

Innes said 14 AAAS members are active and that almost 25 percent of the department’s current faculty has been inducted.

Raff, distinguished professor of biology, whose research focused on the developmental processes in the evolution of species and the fossilization of marine animal soft tissue, said the quality of the faculty has made his time as a professor and researcher more enjoyable.

“I’ve been here for 40 years now, and I haven’t really wanted to go away anywhere,” he said. “It’s really a very good environment if you’re doing science and if you’re a faculty member.”

Raff said the department’s emphasis on research has also provided undergraduate students with an opportunity to work in a faculty member’s lab while receiving class credit.

This experience can prove invaluable for undergraduate students who are interested in attending graduate school, he said.

Innes said faculty members are chosen “primarily based on their outstanding track record in research.” As chairman, Innes said his job is to ensure that the department can provide the resources necessary for success.

“Indiana University has invested heavily in providing state-of-the-art facilities such as microscopes and supercomputers, thus providing a conducive environment for research,” he said. “With our combination of outstanding junior faculty and outstanding infrastructure, I expect the department will continue to add to those 19 AAAS fellows at a steady clip.”