ATLANTA, GA, January 31, 2023 – The world’s largest general scientific society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), has elected Dr. Talitha Washington to the 2022 class of AAAS Fellows. Dr. Washington received recognition for “distinguished contributions to diversity in mathematics and the sciences and service to the mathematics profession.”
Dr. Washington is the inaugural Director of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Data Science Initiative, a Professor of Mathematics at Clark Atlanta University and an affiliate faculty at Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College. She is the Director and lead principal investigator of the NSF-funded National Data Science Alliance (NDSA) and the President of the Association for Women in Mathematics.
Poised to bring new diverse perspectives to data science, as Director, she oversees and provides strategic direction of data science across the AUC institutions – Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College. The NDSA expands these efforts across all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to increase the number of Blacks with expertise in data science and expand data science research that advocates for social justice.
Now, Dr. Washington is among the 508 scientists, engineers and innovators who have been elected to the 2022 class of AAAS Fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers.
“At the Atlanta University Center, our faculty lead the way in educating Black students who advance new knowledge, discoveries, and innovations that will impact our world,” said Dr. David A. Thomas, chair of the AUC Council of Presidents and president of Morehouse College. “Dr. Washington is a visionary leader who is bringing transformative change to the national data science landscape for the betterment of our society.”
AAAS Fellows are a distinguished cadre of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines, from research, teaching, and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as a AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.
“AAAS is excited to announce the newest class of fellows from across the scientific enterprise in a tradition dating back nearly 150 years and to honor their broad range of achievements,” said Sudip Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals.
Dr. Washington joins a distinguished group of accomplished AUC faculty elected into the ranks of a AAAS Fellow.
AUC’s AAAS Fellows include:
1905 – William Du Bois, Atlanta University
1933 – Helen Albro, Spelman College
1933 – Ralph Mitchell, Morehouse College
1955 – Paul Cliffort, Atlanta University
1971 – Edward Weaver, Atlanta University / Butler College
1999 – Etta Falconer, Spelman College
2003 – Melvin Webb, Clark Atlanta University
2009 – Sylvia Bozeman, Spelman College
2011 – Alfred Msezane, Clark Atlanta University
2020 – John Haynes, Morehouse College
2021 – James Lillard, Morehouse School of Medicine
2022 – Talitha Washington, Clark Atlanta University / Atlanta University Center
About the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, visit www.aaas.org.