Two USC Dornsife professors elected AAAS fellows
Eric Friedlander, Dean’s Professor of Mathematics, and David Hutchins, professor of biological sciences, have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society.
Eric Friedlander. Photo by Matt Meindl.
The AAAS reported that Friedlander received the distinction for his “distinguished contributions to several fields of mathematics” with an emphasis on algebraic geometry, as well as his leadership in the American Mathematical Society. The association also said in a statement that Hutchins earned the honor for his “fundamental contributions to understanding the influence of trace metals, ocean acidification, and climate change on the productivity and evolution of marine phytoplankton populations.”
David Hutchins. Photo by Peter Zhaoyu Zhou.
Friedlander, who currently chairs the Department of Mathematics, joined USC Dornsife as Dean’s Professor of Mathematics in 2008. He was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005 and served as president of the American Mathematical Society from 2010–11. Since 2016, he has been chair of the U.S. National Committee for Mathematics. Over the course of his career, he has served on the editorial boards of 10 different journals and has organized nearly three dozen mathematical conferences.
Hutchins, whose research interests include marine phytoplankton biology, nutrient and carbon cycling, and climate change, has been awarded over a dozen grants for his scientific research and has published 114 articles since 2006. He has served on several scientific committees and assisted in organizing numerous conferences for the National Science Foundation.
All fellows of the AAAS are chosen based on their scientific or social contributions to their areas of study. The process is rigorous, requiring a nomination and election from the AAAS Council.
Friedlander and Hutchins will receive a certificate and rosette pin at the AAAS Fellows Forum in February at the 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.