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Member of the National Academy of Sciences
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Membership of the National Academy of Sciences is an award granted to scientists that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of the United States judges to have made “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research”. Membership is a mark of excellence in science and one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive.

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NAS members and international members

Three types of NAS membership exist:89

  1. Voting members, who must hold citizenship of the United States
  2. Nonvoting international members,10 who have citizenship outside the United States
  3. Emeritus members, who are no longer active and have rescinded their voting rights

As of May 2018 there were 2,382 active members and 484 international members,11 of whom approximately 190 have received Nobel Prizes.12 A full list of members can be found in the online members directory.13 See the list of members of the National Academy of Sciences and Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences for examples.

Notable member firsts

Some notable member firsts and records include:

Member diversity

Critics have pointed to a lack of member diversity because of a selection bias for “old white men” who dominate membership of the Academy. Elite institutions such as the from Ivy League, MIT, Stanford, the University of California and Caltech also dominate membership,31 thereby perpetuating the Matthew effect. Diversity of age, disability, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation is lower in NAS than in the general population.32 For example, women in science are an underrepresented group in the Academy but the proportion of female members is slowly growing.333435

  • In 1989, the academy had just 57 female members and 1,516 male members (3% female in total)36
  • In 2010, there were 14 newly elected women (19% new female inductees) from 72 new members37
  • In 2011, there were only 9 women (12% new female inductees) from 72 newly elected members.383940
  • In 2012, the Academy elected 84 new members, with a record high of 26 women (30% new female inductees)41
  • In 2019, 50 women out of 125 new members were female (40% of new female inductees), another record high4243 although the proportion of women in the academy as a whole is much lower than 40%44

Persons of color are also underrepresented.4546

Nomination and election of new members

New members and international members have been elected annually since 1863.47 Membership can not be applied for as only voting academicians can submit formal nominations for newly elected members, for preferential voting in an annual ballot of members every March.48 Candidates for membership are considered by peer review and voted for again through several rounds of balloting49 and a final annual ballot in April at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the academy with results announced shortly after, usually early May.5051 Each nomination includes a curriculum vitae (CV) with a 250 word summary of the nominee's scientific achievements, the basis for election and a list of no more than 12 of their most important papers published in scientific journals.52 The publication limit of 12 aims to focus assessment on the quality of a nominee's work, rather than the quantity of publications.5354

As of 2019, a maximum of 100 members may be elected annually. Non-citizens of the USA are elected as international members, with a maximum of 25 elected annually. Both members and international members are affiliated with one of six scientific disciplines:55

  1. Physical science and mathematical sciences
  2. Biological sciences
  3. Engineering and applied sciences
  4. Biomedical sciences
  5. Behavioural sciences and social sciences
  6. Applied Biological, agricultural science and environmental sciences

On election, members are invited to an annual awards ceremony.56

Member biographies

Since 1966, newly elected members of the National Academy of Sciences have been invited to contribute an inaugural year article (IYA) to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) which is accompanied by a brief biography of the author.57 Biographies of deceased members are published in the Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences (BMNAS), for example see David Arnett's biography of Alastair G. W. Cameron.58

References

  1. Anon (2019). "About NAS membership". Nasonline.org. National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 2019-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320221546/http://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/membership/ ↩

  2. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  3. Alberts, Bruce; Fulton, Kenneth R. (2005). "Editorial: Election to the National Academy of Sciences: Pathways to membership". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (21): 7405–7406. Bibcode:2005PNAS..102.7405A. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503457102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1140467. PMID 16586925. /wiki/Bruce_Alberts ↩

  4. Anon (1997). "Newly Elected Members and Foreign Associates of the National Academy of Sciences April 29, 1997". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 94 (9): 4235–4236. Bibcode:1997PNAS...94.4235.. doi:10.1073/pnas.94.9.4235. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 33659. PMID 16578853. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC33659 ↩

  5. Anon (2001). "New Members and Foreign Associates Elected to the National Academy of Sciences on May 1, 2001: 72 New Members Chosen by the Academy". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 98 (10): 5387–5388. Bibcode:2001PNAS...98.5387.. doi:10.1073/pnas.101188198. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 33222. PMID 16578859. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC33222 ↩

  6. Anon (2000). "New Members and Foreign Associates Elected to the National Academy of Sciences on May 2, 2000. 60 New Members Chosen by the Academy". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 97 (10): 5037–5038. Bibcode:2000PNAS...97.5037.. doi:10.1073/pnas.100999997. ISSN 0027-8424. https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.100999997 ↩

  7. Shen, Helen (2013). "US science academy celebrates 150 years: President Ralph Cicerone discusses diversity and efficiency at the National Academy of Sciences". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12530. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 180789927. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature.2013.12530 ↩

  8. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  9. Alberts, Bruce; Fulton, Kenneth R. (2005). "Editorial: Election to the National Academy of Sciences: Pathways to membership". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (21): 7405–7406. Bibcode:2005PNAS..102.7405A. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503457102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1140467. PMID 16586925. /wiki/Bruce_Alberts ↩

  10. Wilson, Edwin B. (1953). "Vital Statistics of our Foreign Associates". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 39 (12): 1295–1298. Bibcode:1953PNAS...39.1295W. doi:10.1073/pnas.39.12.1295. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1063952. PMID 16589414. /wiki/Edwin_Bidwell_Wilson ↩

  11. Anon (2018). "May 1 2018 NAS Election". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/news/May-1-2018-NAS-Election.html ↩

  12. Anon (2019). "About NAS membership". Nasonline.org. National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 2019-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320221546/http://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/membership/ ↩

  13. Anon (2019). "About NAS membership". Nasonline.org. National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 2019-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320221546/http://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/membership/ ↩

  14. "Edward Pickering". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20001598.html ↩

  15. Anon (2019). "Membership FAQ". nationalacademies.org. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20180305122612/http://nationalacademies.org/memarea/memfaq/index.html ↩

  16. Archibald, Raymond Clare (1936). "The Youngest Member Elected to the National Academy of Sciences". Science. 83 (2158): 436–437. doi:10.1126/science.83.2158.436-a. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 17820127. /wiki/Raymond_Clare_Archibald ↩

  17. "Florence Sabin". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20001678.html ↩

  18. Anon (2019). "Membership FAQ". nationalacademies.org. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20180305122612/http://nationalacademies.org/memarea/memfaq/index.html ↩

  19. "David Blackwell". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/57657.html ↩

  20. Anon (2019). "Membership FAQ". nationalacademies.org. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20180305122612/http://nationalacademies.org/memarea/memfaq/index.html ↩

  21. Lavelle, Marianne (2015). "Science Editor-in-Chief Marcia McNutt set to become first woman to lead U.S. National Academy of Sciences". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aac8806. ISSN 0036-8075. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  22. Nair, Prashant (2017). "QnAs with Marcia McNutt". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114 (13): 3272–3274. Bibcode:2017PNAS..114.3272N. doi:10.1073/pnas.1703235114. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 5380059. PMID 28298528. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5380059 ↩

  23. Nair, Prashant (2015). "QnAs with Ben Barres". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112 (33): 10074–10075. Bibcode:2015PNAS..11210074N. doi:10.1073/pnas.1512539112. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 4547303. PMID 26240349. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4547303 ↩

  24. Anon (2013). "Neurobiologist Becomes First Transgender Scientist Selected For U.S. National Academy of Science Membership". transnews.org. Trans Media Network. Archived from the original on 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2019-04-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20181002183114/http://transnews.org/2013/05/11/first-transgender-scientist-selected-for-national-academy-of-science-membership/ ↩

  25. "Ben Barres". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20029902.html ↩

  26. Anon (2018). "Frances Arnold Wins 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry". caltech.edu. California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2018-10-04. http://www.caltech.edu/news/frances-arnold-wins-2018-nobel-prize-chemistry-83926 ↩

  27. Toumey, Chris (2005). "SPT v8n3 – Reviews – Feynman Unprocessed". vt.edu. Virginia Tech. Archived from the original on 2019-03-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20190319115654/https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v8n3/toumey.html ↩

  28. Feynman, Richard; Feynman, Michelle (2005). Perfectly reasonable deviations from the beaten track : the letters of Richard P. Feynman. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0738206369. OCLC 57393623. 0738206369 ↩

  29. Toumey, Chris (2005). "SPT v8n3 – Reviews – Feynman Unprocessed". vt.edu. Virginia Tech. Archived from the original on 2019-03-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20190319115654/https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v8n3/toumey.html ↩

  30. Feynman, Richard; Feynman, Michelle (2005). Perfectly reasonable deviations from the beaten track : the letters of Richard P. Feynman. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0738206369. OCLC 57393623. 0738206369 ↩

  31. Leiter, Brian (2018). "Top 50 universities by membership in the National Academy of Sciences". typepad.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-29. /wiki/Brian_Leiter ↩

  32. Shen, Helen (2013). "US science academy celebrates 150 years: President Ralph Cicerone discusses diversity and efficiency at the National Academy of Sciences". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12530. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 180789927. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature.2013.12530 ↩

  33. Spake Zuska, Thus (2007). "NAS Deigns to Admit 9 Women This Year". Scienceblogs.com. ScienceBlogs. Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20190425123004/https://scienceblogs.com/thusspakezuska/2007/05/04/nas-deigns-to-admit-9-women-th ↩

  34. Chivers, Tom (2016). "This Is How Many Women Are Members Of Science Academies". Buzzfeed.com. BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 2017-06-29. /w/index.php?title=Tom_Chivers&action=edit&redlink=1 ↩

  35. "Women in Science". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/women-in-science.html ↩

  36. "News of the week from the science world". The San Francisco Examiner. May 20, 1989. p. D-2 – via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28046754/news_of_the_week_from_the_science_world/ ↩

  37. Hoopes, Laura (2010). "National Academy of Sciences List for 2010". nature.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20190324031205/https://www.nature.com/scitable/forums/women-in-science/national-academy-of-sciences-list-for-2010-10013023 ↩

  38. Montell, Gabriela (2007). "Only 9 Women Are Elected to the National Academy of Science". chronicle.com. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/only-9-women-are-elected-to-the-national-academy-of-sciences/70 ↩

  39. Shen, Helen (2013). "US science academy celebrates 150 years: President Ralph Cicerone discusses diversity and efficiency at the National Academy of Sciences". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12530. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 180789927. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature.2013.12530 ↩

  40. Hoopes, Laura (2011). "National Academy of Sciences Picks Few Women Again". nature.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20190324031334/https://www.nature.com/scitable/forums/women-in-science/national-academy-of-sciences-picks-few-women-19909665 ↩

  41. Shen, Helen (2013). "US science academy celebrates 150 years: President Ralph Cicerone discusses diversity and efficiency at the National Academy of Sciences". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12530. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 180789927. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature.2013.12530 ↩

  42. "2019 NAS Election". www.nasonline.org. http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/news/2019-nas-election.html ↩

  43. Jaschik, Scott (2019). "Record Number of Women Join Academy of Sciences". insidehighered.com. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/05/01/record-number-women-join-academy-sciences ↩

  44. Chivers, Tom (2016). "This Is How Many Women Are Members Of Science Academies". Buzzfeed.com. BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 2017-06-29. /w/index.php?title=Tom_Chivers&action=edit&redlink=1 ↩

  45. Shen, Helen (2013). "US science academy celebrates 150 years: President Ralph Cicerone discusses diversity and efficiency at the National Academy of Sciences". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2013.12530. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 180789927. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnature.2013.12530 ↩

  46. Alberts, Bruce; Fulton, Kenneth R. (2005). "Editorial: Election to the National Academy of Sciences: Pathways to membership". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (21): 7405–7406. Bibcode:2005PNAS..102.7405A. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503457102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1140467. PMID 16586925. /wiki/Bruce_Alberts ↩

  47. Olson, Steve (2014). "The National Academy of Sciences at 150". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111 (Supplement_2): 9327–9364. Bibcode:2014PNAS..111S9327O. doi:10.1073/pnas.1406109111. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 4077050. PMID 24958885. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4077050 ↩

  48. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  49. Ruksznis, Elizabeth (1996). "Getting in: A Look at the Election Process Of the National Academy of Sciences". Aps Observer. 9 (3). https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getting-in-a-look-at-the-election-process-of-the-national-academy-of-sciences ↩

  50. Anon (2000). "New Members and Foreign Associates Elected to the National Academy of Sciences on May 2, 2000. 60 New Members Chosen by the Academy". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 97 (10): 5037–5038. Bibcode:2000PNAS...97.5037.. doi:10.1073/pnas.100999997. ISSN 0027-8424. https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.100999997 ↩

  51. Anon (2018). "May 1 2018 NAS Election". nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 April 2019. http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/news/May-1-2018-NAS-Election.html ↩

  52. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  53. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  54. Alberts, Bruce; Fulton, Kenneth R. (2005). "Editorial: Election to the National Academy of Sciences: Pathways to membership". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102 (21): 7405–7406. Bibcode:2005PNAS..102.7405A. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503457102. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1140467. PMID 16586925. /wiki/Bruce_Alberts ↩

  55. Anon (2019). "NAS Member Directory". nasonline.org/member-directory. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418074729/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/ ↩

  56. "2019 NAS Presentation Ceremony". youtube.com. YouTube. 27 April 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRpny0rIOQM ↩

  57. Cozzarelli, N. R.; Fulton, K. R.; Sullenberger, D. M.; Coughlin, B. C. (2003). "Biographies of newly elected Academy members". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100 (23): 13117. Bibcode:2003PNAS..10013117C. doi:10.1073/pnas.2536811100. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 263723. PMID 14597709. /wiki/Nicholas_R._Cozzarelli ↩

  58. Arnett, David (2017). "A. G. W. Cameron 1925–2005, Biographical Memoir, National Academy of Sciences" (PDF). Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. arXiv:1708.05429. /wiki/W._David_Arnett ↩