Two School of Medicine faculty were among five Duke faculty members elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on April 30 in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
New NAS members with appointments in the School of Medicine were:
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David Beratan, PhD, R.J. Reynolds Professor of Chemistry, professor of biochemistry, and professor of physics. Beratan is developing theoretical approaches to understand the function of complex molecular and macromolecular systems.
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Richard Mooney, PhD, George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Neurobiology and professor of cell biology. His broad research goal is to understand the neural mechanisms by which experience guides learning, behavior, and perception.
Also elected from Duke were:
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John Aldrich, PhD, Pfizer Inc./Edmund T. Pratt Jr. University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Political Science.
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Tai-ping Sun, PhD, professor of biology.
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Jenny Tung, PhD, professor of evolutionary anthropology and biology.
The NAS elected a total of 120 new members and 24 new international members.
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and — with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine — provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.