Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, dean of the USF Health College of Public Health and senior associate vice president of USF Health, is among six USF faculty named new Fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for their research achievements.
Dr. Petersen, who led the USF COVID-19 task force, earned the AAAS fellowship through her contributions to the field of public health, advancing public health practice, pedagogy and curriculum, and her public health leadership both locally and nationally.
In addition to Dr. Petersen, the following USF faculty were also named AAAS Fellows this year: Jennifer M. Collins, professor (Atmospheric & Hydrospheric Sciences); Richard Dembo, professor (Social, Economic & Political Sciences); David Himmelgreen, professor (Anthropology); James W. Leahy, professor and chair, of the Department of Chemistry (Chemistry); and Christina Richards, associate professor (Biological Sciences).
The six USF faculty are among 505 named Fellows this year by the AAAS Council.
In a tradition stretching back to 1874, AAAS Fellows are elected annually by the AAAS Council. Newly elected Fellows are recognized for their extraordinary achievements at the ceremonial Fellows Forum, a time-honored event at the AAAS Annual Meeting where they are presented with a certificate and blue and gold rosette.