The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recognized two genetics, development and cell biology (GDCB) professors in November. Xun Gu and Stephen Howell were among six Iowa State University researchers recognized by AAAS for their contributions to statistics, bioinformatics, plant biology, crop improvement, astrophysics and plant pathology.

The researchers are among this year’s class of 391 new AAAS fellows, the association announced in November. The recognition is bestowed on association members by their peers and recognizes scientifically or socially distinguished work to advance science or its applications.

Xun Gu

Gu’s current research is to integrate genome big data, high throughput computing and principles of genome evolution into a unified framework. That may have broad applications in various biological fields, including plant and animal domestication, evolutionary medicine and certain cancer mutations.

Stephen Howell

Howell is the Charles F. Curtis Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and Life Sciences in GDCB. His lab is studying the effect of climate change on plants. In particular, his lab is studying how plants respond to and tolerate adverse environmental conditions.

The new AAAS fellows were announced in the Nov. 25 issue of the journal Science. They will be honored on Feb. 18 at the AAAS meeting in Boston. AAAS members can be nominated for the honor by the steering groups of the association’s 24 sections, by any three fellows or by the association’s chief executive officer.

ISU News Service Release