Professor Cathie Martin named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Professor Cathie Martin of The John Innes Centre has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for distinguished contributions to plant biology.
This year 702 members have been awarded this honour by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.
“Election to the AAAS Fellowship is a tremendous honour, awarded to relatively few non-US scientists,” said Martin.
“I believe the award recognises my fundamental research into the nutritional benefits of plant-based foods and new features in publishing I have developed as editor-in-chief of The Plant Cell.”
The Plant Cell is the premier journal for publishing primary research in plant biology. Martin has developed new teaching tools, made available via the journal, bringing the excitement of research to the classroom, and helping to inspire new generations of plant scientists.
In her 35-year research career she has helped improved the understanding of plant compounds with nutritional benefits and is applying this understanding to improve diets.
This year’s AAAS Fellows were formally announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science on 30 November 2012.
The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. Currently, members can be considered for the rank of Fellow if nominated by the steering groups of the Association’s 24 sections, or by any three Fellows who are current AAAS members (so long as two of the three sponsors are not affiliated with the nominee’s institution), or by the AAAS chief executive officer.
Each steering group then reviews the nominations of individuals within its respective section and a final list is forwarded to the AAAS Council, which votes on the aggregate list.
The Council is the policymaking body of the Association, chaired by the AAAS president, and consisting of the members of the board of directors, the retiring section chairs, delegates from each electorate and each regional division, and two delegates from the National Association of Academies of Science.
