University of Michigan News Service – UM News

Professors elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

EDITORS: Profs. Agranoff, Danziger and Scott are available for media interviews. U-M can provide faculty interviews via professional studio and uplink capabilities.

ANN ARBOR&#151Three University of Michigan professors were recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Profs. Bernard Agranoff, Sheldon Danziger, and Rebecca Scott were among those fellows and foreign honorary members inducted into the prestigious society, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in scholarly and professional fields.

Biological chemistry Prof. Agranoff has served as the director of the U-M Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI). Under his direction, MHRI earned an international reputation for its ground-breaking work on neuroscience and biological psychiatry. He is currently doing research that involves regeneration in the central nervous system and the brain’s impact on behavioral disorders.

Danziger, professor of social work and of public policy, is internationally recognized for his multidisciplinary research and scholarly productivity. Published widely in economics, sociology, social work, and public policy journals, he currently directs the U-M Center on Poverty, Risk and Mental Health.

Scott, professor of history and former department chair, is a recognized specialist on the history of slavery and emancipation in Latin America and the United States. She is the founding director of the U-M Latin American and Caribbean Studies program. In 1997, she served as a Cuban history adviser for the film “Amistad.”

“Throughout its history, the Academy has gathered individuals with diverse perspectives to participate in studies and projects focusing on advancing intellectual thought and constructive action in American society,” said Leslie Berlowitz, the Academy’s executive officer.

Founded in 1780, the Academy has elected as fellows and foreign honorary members the finest minds and most influential leaders from each generation, including George Washington, Ben Franklin, Daniel Webster, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. The current membership includes Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners.

The Academy will welcome this year’s new members on Oct. 5, in Cambridge, Mass. For more information on the Academy, contact Suzanne Morse at (617) 576-5047 or [email protected].