Recently, five professors from the University of California San Diego were honored with membership in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a prestigious organization that recognizes distinguished U.S. scientists and engineers. The new members include Fan Chung from the Jacobs School of Engineering, Stephen Hedrick from the School of Biological Sciences, Lisa Levin and Lynne Talley from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Susan Kaech, an Adjunct Professor from the School of Biological Sciences and a professor at the Salk Institute.
Kaech is a leading figure in UC San Diego’s Program in Immunology and plays an active role in mentoring Biological Sciences PhD students. Her research focuses on understanding how T cells develop, function, and combat infections and cancer. The addition of these new members brings UC San Diego’s total number of previous and current faculty members elected to NAS to 103.
Established by Congress in 1863, NAS serves as an authoritative source of advice to the federal government on matters related to science and technology. The presence of academy members on a university’s faculty is often used as a measure to assess the strength of their scientific research and educational programs compared to other institutions nationwide. This recognition reflects UC San Diego’s commitment to excellence in scientific research and innovation across various disciplines.