Yale News

Eight Yale faculty members were elected as 2024 fellows at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS.

Since 1874, the AAAS has annually selected a group of scientists to honor their achievements in research, teaching, industry, government, scientific communication and academia. 

This year, the Yale faculty recognized were David Hafler, Leonard Milstone ’66 MED ’70, Ruth Montgomery, Thomas Near, Karla Neugebauer, William Nordhaus ’63, Craig Roy and Jeffery Townsend.

David Hafler, chairman of the Neurology Department at the Yale School of Medicine and the neurologist-in-chief at the Yale New Haven Hospital, is a leading expert on multiple sclerosis and played a crucial role in identifying the major mechanism underlying the cause of the disease.

“I began my studies in multiple sclerosis as a freshman in college based on the question: can we solve it in my lifetime?” Hefler told the News. “I am very proud of the work that I and a group of my colleagues have done to address this issue. It is wonderful being a physician scientist, to be both an immunologist and work with patients, as well as do research.”

Hafler has won the Dystel Prize for his work on sclerosis, received the NIH Javits Investigator Award and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the National Academy of Medicine.

Thomas Near, is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and curator of ichthyology at the Peabody Museum. His lab combines fieldwork, such as collecting specimens in remote places from Antarctic waters to Appalachian streams, with ground-breaking approaches to studying the evolutionary history of fishes. 

His evolutionary interests lie particularly in the notothenioid species, a fish that survives in the icy waters of Antarctica and the darters of North America.

“I am truly honored to be included among this year’s cohort, especially since AAAS has such a rich history of advancing science across disciplines,” Near told the News. “Being named an AAAS Fellow is a meaningful recognition of our contributions to understanding how these remarkable fish lineages have adapted and diversified over millions of years.”

Near’s lab plans to continue its comparative and interdisciplinary work studying the processes that drive fish evolution. Near is especially interested in explaining how climate change could impact the adapted fishes he studies, specifically in the warming Antarctic.

Ruth Montgomery, associate dean at the Yale School of Medicine and a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the School of Public Health, has devoted her career to studying the body’s innate immune responses to viral infections, asthma, Lyme disease and aging. 

Montgomery’s work with primary human cells aims to show immune-related mechanisms to pave the pathway for the creation of therapeutic interventions.

“Discoveries in science have brought me joy since I was a girl and first learned about biology,” Montgomery told the News. “I continue to be genuinely excited about new discoveries practically every day, whether from a journal or from my lab members.”

Leonard Milstone, senior research scientist in dermatology at the Yale medical school, focuses on inherited disorders of keratinization, a process occurring in the hair, skin and nails that is essential for maintaining these tissues. Milstone has discovered the interferon gamma keratins and a protein involved in cell adhesion and migration.

Jeffery Townsend, professor of biostatistics and ecology and evolutionary biology, has worked extensively on innovative approaches to biology, on issues ranging from the evolution of antimicrobial resistance to disease transmission and mitigation of therapeutic resistance in cancer. 

His lab’s research focuses on understanding the evolutionary dynamics of cancer and infectious disease. It uses a variety of tools in computational biology, phylogenetics and population genetics to explore how human ancestry shapes health.

“To have this research honored by being named an AAAS Fellow is tremendously gratifying because it affirms not only the impact of this work, but the value of conducting fundamental science that crosses disciplinary boundaries and addresses real-world challenges,” Townsend said.

William Nordhaus is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of economics and forestry and environmental studies. Nordhaus is part of the research staff for the National Bureau of Economic Research and a senior advisor of the Brookings Panel on Economic Activity in Washington, D.C. 

He received the 2018 Nobel Prize in economic sciences alongside Paul Romer for integrating issues of a changing climate into macroeconomic analysis. His work spans the social, physical and environmental sciences, as well as law and social sciences.

“I hope this recognition will inspire other scholars to step outside of their own disciplines to tackle the pressing issues of the day,” Nordhaus told the News.

Nordhaus encourages scholars to continue to work on issues of climate change, armed conflict, weaponized trade agreements and reforms to international law that will make international agreements, like Nordhaus’ own “Climate Club,” easier to implement on a global scale.

Craig Roy, professor of microbial pathogenesis and immunobiology, uses multidisciplinary approaches to discover new mechanisms that pathogens use to evade the immune system, and also create organelles that allow bacterial replication. 

Roy is a founding member of the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale, which works to explore topics at the intersection of disease and microbes.

Karla Neugebauer is a professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry and cell biology at Yale College and the School of Medicine. Her studies focus mainly on understanding the basic processes that happen in RNA, a molecule pivotal to the central dogma of life. 

Diseases like neurodegenerative disorders and cancer arise when these processes are interrupted, and Neugebauer and her lab work to explore why this happens, how it can be mitigated and potential avenues for cures.

“The idea that as a young person you can become fascinated with really basic questions, and that is what drives scientists is that question, that curiosity, how does this thing work?” Neugebauer told the News. “Then along the way you discover, maybe we could save someone’s life with this.” 

In June, the 2024 AAAS fellows will be inducted in Washington.