The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has selected four faculty from UC Riverside to join the prestigious association.  According to AAAS guidelines, fellows are singled out for their “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.”

The AAAS, or “Tripe A-S,” is an international non-profit organization devoted to promote the fields of science around the world. Xuemei Chen, a professor of plant cell and molecular biology, was elected for her work in the field of plant biology and development.Chen elaborated on her fascination with her field of work on her personal website, stating, “I’ve been fascinated with nature since I was little. I’d have to say that it is my desire to understand nature that got me interested in plant biology. I feel fortunate that over the years I’ve been able to contribute to this well-populated research field and compete with other labs in this world.”

Rajiv Gupta, a professor in the field of computer science and engineering, was recognized by the association for his research in computer architecture. Throughout the years, Gupta has published over 195 articles in conferences and journals. He has also supervised 15 PhD dissertations, one of which won the ACM SIGPLAN Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award in the area of programming languages in 2001.

Professor of Electrical Engineering Yingbo Hua was elected for his extensive work in signal processing. Hua has published over 260 articles in journals, books and conference events. Despite his numerous prior achievements, Hua stated that he was very honored and “delighted” to be elected as a  fellow by the AAAS.

Lastly, Yinsheng Wang, a professor of chemistry, was elected for his contributions to bioanalytical chemistry. The AAAS emphasized Wang’s role “in the development of novel analytical methods enabling understanding of the biological consequences of DNA damage.” Wang’s research is rooted in two general defined areas: DNA damage and mutagenesis and proteomics.

In order to become a fellow, AAAS members are elected by their peers. “I was nominated by three highly distinguished peers in my field. It is my high honor that they recognized my contributions,” stated Hua. Five alumni from UCR were also named AAAS Fellows in 2011: Brian M. Barnes,  Bradford Hawkins, Kevin Plaxco, David C. Geary and Gerald E. Edwards. The newest fellows will be given an official certificate as well as a gold and blue rosette pin during the annual meeting of the AAAS in Vancouver, Canada on Feb 18.

All 2011 AAAS fellows were announced in the December 23 issue of Science magazine, a journal published by the AAAS.