| By K. Lee Lerner |
The 40th edition of the venerable and widely trusted American Men & Women of Science has officially released and introduces 4,000 new listees to this premier compendium of accomplished American scientists.
In continuous publication since 1906, American Men & Women of Science showcases the vital work and achievements of prominent scientists in all the major scientific fields, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas. A few noteworthy scientists of interest in the 40th edition include:
Jane E. Wissinger, distinguished university teaching professor and organic lab director at the University of Minnesota, focuses on fusing evolving concepts in sustainability science with traditional chemistry education to develop curriculum materials for college and high school students that emphasize environmentally sustainable, or “green,” chemistry. Wissinger also serves as a senior principal investigator at the National Science Foundation Center for Sustainable Polymers. Her work earned the 2018 American Chemical Society Committee on Environmental Improvement Award for incorporating sustainability into chemistry education.
Nergis Mavalvala is a professor of astrophysics and dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Science. A 2010 recipient of a MacArthur “genius” award, Mavalvala was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2017. As a physicist and astrophysicist, her research focuses on the detection of gravitational waves and quantum measurement science. She was part of the scientific team that first detected gravitational waves emanating from colliding black holes.
Catherine Dulac serves as a professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University. Dulac also serves as an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her work focuses on the exploration of the molecular basis and anatomical neuronal wiring of social behaviors. Dulac investigates the molecular and physiological basis of sex-specific behaviors as well as genomic imprinting and epigenetic modification in the brain.
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero is a professor of physics at MIT. Winner of a 2021 U.S. National Academy of Sciences Award for Scientific Discovery, Jarillo-Herrero also received a coveted Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award in 2021. He is credited with the discovery of “twistronics”—how changes in spatial orientation between layers of graphene change the overall electrical conductivity.
Feng Zhang is a molecular biologist and researcher at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a professor at MIT, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. An early developer of CRISPR technology, for which Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna won a 2020 Nobel Prize, he was awarded a patent related to the use of CRISPR-based genome-editing tools in eukaryotic cells, including human cells.
Barney Scott Graham, deputy director of the National Institutes of Health Vaccine Research Center, headed early clinical trials of the Moderna mRNA-based vaccine. Throughout his career, Graham pursued groundbreaking research that not only contributed to the development of effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines but also antibody and antiviral drugs used to treat COVID-19.
American Men & Women of Science, 40th edition is available in print and ebook format on the Gale eBooks platform.
Meet the Author
Recognized for his use of language, accuracy, and balanced presentation, K. Lee Lerner’s portfolio covering science and global issues for Cengage includes two ALA RUSA Book and Media Awards and two works named Outstanding Academic Titles. Holding degrees in science, education, and journalism, including a master’s degree with academic honors from Harvard, Lerner has served on the board of advisors for the venerable American Men and Women of Science since 2003 and, along with Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, as co-editor for three editions of The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. He was the contributing Editor-In-Chief for Gale’s Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security. A member of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Lerner is an experienced aviator and sailor who has completed two global circumnavigations. His Academia site consistently ranks among those most frequently accessed by students, scholars, and decision makers from around the world. Additional information may be found at scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner and harvard.academia.edu/KLeeLerner.