Faculty at five UT institutions recognized among nation’s top scientists

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recently named 14 scholars from five University of Texas institutions as 2020 AAAS Fellows, a lifetime distinction awarded to some of the nation’s leading scientists. AAAS Fellows are elected each year by their peers in recognition of significant contributions to science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).

The following UT faculty members are among the 489 scientists nationwide who make up this year’s class of AAAS Fellows.

UT Arlington:

  • "Max" Qinhong Hu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Vistasp Karbhari, Ph.D., professor in the Departments of Civil Engineering and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

UT Austin

  • Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, Ph.D., professor of medical physiology in the Department of Medical Education, Dell Medical School
  • Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment

UT Dallas

  • Murat Kantarcioglu, Ph.D., professor of computer science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Steven Small, Ph.D., dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
  • May Yuan, Ph.D., professor of geospatial information sciences in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
  • Anvar Zakhidov, Ph.D., professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Swathi Arur, Ph.D., associate professor of genetics
  • George Calin, M.D., Ph.D., professor of experimental therapeutics and translational molecular pathology
  • Han Liang, Ph.D., professor of bioinformatics and computational biology
  • Sendurai Mani, Ph.D., professor of translational molecular pathology
  • Nicholas Navin, Ph.D., associate professor of genetics

UT Health San Antonio

  • Susan L. Mooberry, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology in the Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine

The list of 2020 Fellows was published in the Nov. 27 issue of Science. A virtual induction ceremony for the newly elected Fellows will take place on Feb. 13, 2021.

About The University of Texas System

For more than 130 years, The University of Texas System has been committed to improving the lives of Texans and people all over the world through education, research and health care. With 14 institutions, an enrollment of nearly 240,000 students and an operating budget of $21.7 billion (FY 2021), the UT System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produce more than 64,000 graduates annually and award more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees and more than half of its health professional degrees. Collectively, UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 9.2 million outpatient visits and 1.8 million hospital days last year. UT institutions also are among the most innovative in the world, collectively ranking No. 3 for most U.S. patents granted in 2019, and the UT System is No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the nation in federal research expenditures. The UT System also is one of the largest employers in Texas, with more than 21,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and more than 85,000 health care professionals, researchers and support staff.

News Contact Information

Karen Adler: kadler@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4360 (direct) • 210-912-8055 (cell)