Fiona Marshall and Henry Roediger elected to the National Academy of Sciences

On May 2, Fiona Marshall and Henry Roediger were elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), along with 82 peers across the country. Members are elected to the NAS in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive. The NAS membership totals approximately 2,250 members and nearly 440 foreign associates, of whom approximately 200 have received Nobel prizes. Marshall and Roediger join 7 fellow Arts & Sciences faculty members in the NAS, including Barbara Schaal, Erik Trinkaus, and Joan Strassmann.

Henry "Roddy" Roediger is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. His research centers on learning and memory. Deanna Barch, the chair of psychological and brain sciences, says, "Roddy is absolutely and fully deserving of nomination to the National Academy of Sciences. He has made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of human memory, altering fundamental conceptions about how humans learn best, and applying these insights to improve the way we teach. We as a department feel so fortunate to work with him, and are thrilled that his work is receiving this well-deserved high recognition."

Fiona Marshall is the James W. and Jean L. Davis Professor in Arts and Sciences in the anthropology department. Her research focuses on animal domestication and the beginnings of food production in Africa. Anthropology chair Tristram R. Kidder says, "My colleagues and I are thrilled with Professor Marshall’s election to the NAS. Professor Marshall is an exceptional scholar. Her work on the processes of domestication in animals is path-breaking. In addition, she is a significant contributor to our understanding of the archaeology of Africa, she is one of the world’s foremost experts on the origins and consequences of pastoral nomadism, and most recently, she has been acclaimed for her work on the complex relationships between people, animals, and ecology. Professor Marshall’s research is innovative and exceptional in its breadth, depth, and academic rigor. We very much respect her collaborative spirit and her wide-ranging intellectual interests. Her energy, enthusiasm, and collegiality are an inspiration. We are also exceptionally grateful for her devotion to the department and to the students at Washington University. Although she is clearly an internationally renowned scholar, Professor Marshall has dedicated significant amounts of time to the University. She has served on important and time-consuming committees with great effect and with abundant cheer. Her mentoring of graduate students is an example we all aspire to, and her enthusiastic presence in the classroom has made her a widely sought out teacher. In all of her efforts, Professor Marshall brings out the best in all of us; she is a role-model who sets a high bar for herself, her colleagues and her students." 

Congratulations, Fiona and Roddy, on this incredible and well-deserved honor!