Four University of Virginia professors have been named 2012 fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election as a fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

The faculty members are Edmund Brodie III, BFD Runk Professor of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences and director of the Mountain Lake Biological Station; Zongli Lin, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science; Kenneth Tung, professor of pathology in the School of Medicine; and Timothy Wilson, the Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology in the College.

The tradition of AAAS fellows began in 1874 and is regarded as a prestigious distinction among scientists. AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and includes 261 affiliated societies and academies of science serving 10 million individuals.

According to AAAS:

• Brodie was chosen for distinguished contributions to evolutionary biology, including field studies of natural selection, co-evolutionary arms races and indirect genetic effects, and for his leadership of biological field stations.
• Lin was elected for making fundamental contributions to control theory – which deals with the response of dynamic systems to various inputs – and its applications, plus his excellent teaching and exemplary service to professional societies.
• Tung was named for distinguished contributions to understanding immune regulation, particularly the mechanism of autoimmune disease of male and female gonads and immune infertility, a reproductive disorder.
• Wilson was elected for distinguished contributions to the field of psychology, particularly for outstanding research on self-knowledge, affective forecasting, and psychological change.

“Scientific discoveries and engineering applications to major social challenges are a major contribution of today’s research university to society,” noted Thomas C. Skalak, U.Va.’s vice president for research. “The U.Va. scientists honored by AAAS this year have exhibited the highest levels of creativity and scholarship. They are the basis for a world-class research environment that attracts the brightest minds to U.Va. They are the cornerstone on which we are building our future.”

This year, 702 AAAS members have been named fellows in honor of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Their names recently were announced in the renowned scientific journal Science, which is published by AAAS.

The new fellows will be presented with a certificate and a rosette pin in February at the association’s annual meeting in Boston.