UNC Lineberger’s Amy Gladfelter, PhD, was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences on April 19.
She joins 269 members in this newest class and is the eighth current UNC Lineberger member – and among 35 current UNC-Chapel Hill faculty overall – to earn this honor.
Gladfelter, professor of biology and co-director of the UNC RNA Discovery Center, is being honored for her significant contributions to the field of cell biology. Her lab is interested in how cells are organized in time and space, how cytoplasm is spatially patterned and how cells sense their own shape among other topics.
“In its earliest days, the Academy sought members who would help address issues and opportunities confronting a young nation,” said Nancy C. Andrews, MD, PhD, chair of the academy’s board of directors. “We feel a similar urgency and have elected a class that brings diverse expertise to meet the pressing challenges and possibilities that America and the world face today.”
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an honorary society that recognizes the outstanding achievements of individuals in academia, the arts, business, government and public affairs. The academy, based in Cambridge, Mass., was founded to recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good. The organization’s work is wide-ranging and multidisciplinary, with current areas of focus that include arts and humanities, democracy and justice, education, energy and environment, global affairs, and science and technology.