Cold Spring Harbor, NY — On May 2, the National Academy of Sciences elected 60 new members and 15 foreign associates to its ranks in recognition of their distinguished achievements in scientific research. Bruce Stillman, director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, was among these newly elected members of the Academy.
The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by a congressional act—signed by Abraham Lincoln—that calls on the Academy to act as an official adviser to the federal government in any matter of science or technology. Membership in the Academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a scientist.
This year’s election, at the 137th annual meeting of the Academy in Washington, D.C., brings its number of active members to 1,843 and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s share of this membership to three: In addition to Dr. Stillman, James Watson (elected in 1962), and Michael Wigler (elected in 1989) are members of the National Academy of Sciences currently working at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL).
Dr. Stillman received a Ph.D. from Australian National University in 1979 and then joined CSHL as a postdoctoral fellow supported by the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund. Within five years, he achieved a rank equivalent to full professor. Today, Dr. Stillman is director of CSHL (a position held from 1968 to 1994 by James Watson) and the William J. Matheson Professor of Cancer Biology.
In addition to serving on numerous scientific advisory boards, Dr. Stillman was elected Fellow of the Royal Society (London) in 1993, and received the Order of Australia in 1999.
Written by: Communications Department | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455