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AIBS HONORS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES=20
WASHINGTON, DC-Each year the American Institute of Biological Sciences =
(AIBS) awards eminent individuals or groups for outstanding =
contributions to the biological sciences. The AIBS Board of Directors =
and Awards Committee are pleased to announce the following award winners =
for 2008:
. Distinguished Scientist Award: Terry L. Yates, University of New =
Mexico (posthumous)
. Outstanding Service Award: David E. Blockstein, National Council =
for Science and the =20
Environment
. Education Award: Eric Klopfer, Massachusetts Institute of =
Technology
. President's Citation Award: Ira Flatow, NPR's Talk of the Nation: =
Science Friday
. Past-President's Award: Douglas J. Futuyma, State University of New =
York at Stony Brook
. Media Award: Michelle Nijhuis, High Country News
The awards will be presented on May 12 at the AIBS Annual Meeting, =
"Climate, Environment, and Infectious Diseases," during a ceremony to be =
held at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, Virginia. The meeting =
is co-sponsored by NCSE and is open to the public. On-site registration =
is available.=20
AIBS President Rita Colwell and Executive Director Richard O'Grady said =
in a joint statement: "We are pleased to honor these dedicated and =
talented individuals. From a variety of backgrounds, they have all made =
significant positive contributions to the field of biology."=20
Below are brief descriptions of the award winners:=20
Terry L. Yates will posthumously receive the Distinguished Scientist =
Award, presented to individuals who have made significant scientific =
contributions to the biological sciences. At the time of his death in =
December 2007, Yates was vice president for research and economic =
development at the University of New Mexico (UNM), as well as curator of =
genomic resources for UNM's Museum of Southwestern Biology. He served as =
president of the Natural Science Collections Alliance from 2004-2007 =
where he worked tirelessly on the national stage to increase awareness =
of the vitally important research in biological diversity, evolution, =
and ecology that is conducted at our nation's natural science =
collections and museums. Yates was best known for his groundbreaking =
research that isolated the source of the deadly hantavirus, the serious =
respiratory disease that began afflicting many in the American Southwest =
in 1993. He was a member of the Board of Life Sciences of the National =
Academy of Sciences and an honorary member of the Society of =
Mammalogists, the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Yates' =
wife, Nancy, will accept the award on his behalf.
David E. Blockstein will receive the Outstanding Service Award, =
presented in recognition of an individual's (or organization's) =
noteworthy service to the biological sciences. Blockstein is currently a =
senior scientist with the National Council for Science and the =
Environment, which he joined in 1990 as founding executive director. He =
is also vice-president of the US Partnership for Education for =
Sustainable Development as well as executive secretary to the Council of =
Environmental Deans and Directors. His science policy career began in =
1987 with a Congressional Science Fellowship sponsored by the American =
Institute of Biological Sciences and the American Society of Zoologists. =
Blockstein's writing, mentoring, and organizational talents have =
bolstered environmental science policy, improving the linkage between =
science and decisionmaking on environmental issues, and increased the =
representation of minorities in the sciences. Blockstein is founding =
chair of the Ornithological Council, an association that provides =
scientific information about birds to policymakers, and is involved in =
ongoing efforts to conserve the critically endangered Grenada Dove and =
the Grenada Hook-billed Kite.
=20
Eric Klopfer will receive the Education Award, presented to an =
individual (or group) who has made significant contributions to =
education in the biological sciences, at any level of formal or informal =
education. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Klopfer =
is the Scheller Career Development Professor of Science Education and =
Educational Technology and director of the Scheller Teacher Education =
Program (STEP). STEP prepares MIT undergraduates to become math and =
science teachers, and under Klopfer's leadership, the program has =
developed an extensive network of K-12 teachers to enhance its efforts. =
His innovative research focuses on the development and use of computer =
games and simulations for building understanding of science and complex =
systems. He cofounded Education Arcade, a group that is advancing the =
use of games as learning tools in the classroom. In recognition of his =
ideas and energy dedicated to transforming science education, Klopfer =
was elected to the Santa Fe Institute's Science Board, the recognized =
authority in New Mexico on K-12 education.
Ira Flatow will receive the President's Citation Award, which recognizes =
meritorious accomplishments by an individual (or group) in the =
biological sciences. Flatow is a veteran science correspondent and =
award-winning TV journalist. For more than 35 years, he has been =
reporting and hosting lively, informative discussion on science, =
technology, health, space, and the environment. Flatow currently hosts =
National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation: Science Friday. As a former =
NPR science correspondent, Flatow reported from Cape Canaveral, Three =
Mile Island, and the South Pole. His TV credits include six years as =
host and writer for the PBS Emmy-award-winning Newton's Apple, as well =
as science reporter for CBS This Morning and CNBC. He has talked science =
on Today, Charlie Rose, and Oprah. He is the author of several books, =
most recently Present at the Future: From Evolution to Nanotechnology, =
Candid and Controversial Conversations on Science and Nature.
Douglas J. Futuyma will receive the Past-President's Award, which =
recognizes the services of the immediate past-president of AIBS. Futuyma =
is a distinguished professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution =
at the State University of New York Stony Brook where his research =
interests focus primarily on speciation and the evolution of ecological =
interactions among species. Prior to his presidency of AIBS, Futuyma =
served as president of the Society for the Study of Evolution and the =
American Society of Naturalists. He was a Guggenheim and a Fulbright =
Fellow, and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Futuyma is =
an editor of Evolution and the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and =
Systematics, as well as the author of two successful textbooks, =
Evolutionary Biology and Evolution. His leadership and service to AIBS =
go back more than a decade, with numerous board and committee =
appointments to cross-disciplinary projects, including the BioOne online =
journals initiative, the National Ecological Observatory Network, the =
Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science, and the Year of =
Science 2009.
Michelle Nijhuis will receive the Media Award for her articles "Beetle =
Warfare" and "Bonfire of the Superweeds," which were part of a series on =
western invasions that ran in High Country News on August 20 and =
November 26, 2007. She is a contributing editor of High Country News. =
Her reporting on science and the environment has also appeared in =
Smithsonian, National Geographic, Audubon, and the anthology, Best =
American Science Writing. Nijhuis has won several national honors for =
her science writing including a AAAS Science Journalism Award.=20
For more information on the AIBS annual awards, see =
www.aibs.org/about-aibs/awards.html.
For more information on the 2008 awards ceremony, see
www.aibs.org/annual-meeting/annual_meeting_2008.html=20
###
The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) =
scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and =
education for the welfare of society. Founded in 1947 as a part of the =
National Academy of Sciences, AIBS became an independent, =
member-governed organization in the 1950s. Today, headquartered in =
Washington, DC, with a staff of approximately 50, AIBS is sustained by a =
robust membership of some 5,000 biologists and nearly 200 professional =
societies and scientific organizations; the combined individual =
membership of the latter exceeds 250,000. AIBS advances its mission =
through participating in coalition activities in research, education, =
and public policy; publishing the peer-reviewed journal BioScience and =
the education Web site ActionBioscience.org; providing scientific peer =
review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients; =
convening meetings; and managing scientific programs. Web site: =
www.aibs.org.
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