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AAAS recognizes three at UNC
for efforts to advance science

CHAPEL HILL - The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded the distinction of fellow to three University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty members.

Fellows are recognized for their efforts to advance science or its applications. New fellows will be presented with the society's gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Feb. 17, 2007, at the group's annual meeting in San Francisco. The following UNC-Chapel Hill faculty are new AAAS Fellows:

Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone, director of the UNC Institute for Advanced Materials, Nanoscience and Technology and Kenan distinguished professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. DeSimone is an expert on environmentally friendly manufacturing, especially of polymers. His research examines all aspects of polymer synthesis and processing, from fundamental aspects of chemical systems to the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to manufacture polymers and polymer products. DeSimone co-founded Micell Technologies Inc., which pioneered carbon dioxide dry cleaning technology to replace the solvent perchloroethylene. DeSimone was named fellow of the AAAS Section on Chemistry for "distinguished contributions to polymer synthesis and processing, from fundamental aspects of chemical systems to environmentally friendly ways to manufacture polymers."

Dr. Daniel A. Reed, director of the Renaissance Computing Institute, UNC vice chancellor for information technology and Chancellor's Eminent Professor. Reed is founding director of interdisciplinary Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI), a major collaborative venture of Duke University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina. RENCI brings together computer and discipline scientists, artists, humanists, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, state leaders and educators for collaborations designed to reshape science, the economy, the state of North Carolina and the world.
Reed served as director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), the birthplace of the modern Web browser. Reed is a member of President Bush's Information Technology Advisory Committee, charged with providing advice on information technology issues and challenges to the president. He was named fellow of the AAAS Section on Information, Computing, and Communication for "outstanding research in the field of high performance computing, exemplary professional leadership, and distinguished national service."

Dr. Stephen J. Walsh, director of the Landscape Characterization & Spatial Analysis Lab and professor of geography in the College of Arts and Sciences. Walsh examines the interactions between people, places and the environment using geographic information systems, remote sensing, spatial analysis and physical geography. Walsh directs studies in Ecuador, Thailand, Latvia and the U.S. Walsh was named fellow of the AAAS Section on Geology and Geography for "substantive landscape characterization and spatial analysis through remote sensing and geographic information science."

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Photo URLs: http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/faculty/desimone_joe.jpg
http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/faculty/reed_dan.jpg
http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/faculty/walsh06.jpg

College of Arts and Sciences contact: Dee Reid, (919) 843-6339 or deereid@unc.edu
RENCI contact: Karen Green, (919) 445-9648 (office), (919) 619-8213 (cell) or kgreen@renci.org
News Services contact: Becky Oskin, (919) 962-8596 or becky_oskin@unc.edu