University of Nevada, Reno Physics Professor Andrei Derevianko was recently named a Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the biggest scientific societies and a publisher for the Science family of journals.
Derevianko, the only faculty member in the history of the University’s Department of Physics, was presented with this lifelong recognition due to his work in theoretical atomic physics. More specifically, he was honored for his work improving atomic clocks, parity-non-conservation and tests of fundamental physics.
Professor Derevianko in the College of Science has made significant contributions to remarkable progress in the development of several classes of atomic clocks. In particular, his theoretically proposed ytterbium optical lattice clocks tick away in major metrology laboratories around the globe. These clocks are guaranteed neither to lose nor gain a fraction of a second over the age of the universe.
Derevianko has also theoretically demonstrated that modern timekeeping can be further improved with nuclear clocks, where a nucleus instead of atom is at the heart of the quantum oscillator. Much of his recent efforts are geared towards realizing this idea in the lab in collaboration with experimental groups.
Beyond inventing new atomic and nuclear clocks, Derevianko has also developed pioneering ideas in applications of atomic clocks in fundamental physics and cosmology, such as the search for dark matter with atomic clocks onboard GPS satellites.
AAAS Fellows are a group of esteemed engineers, innovators and scientists who are chosen annually to be acknowledged for their scientific achievements, whether it’s in teaching, technology, research or another discipline. They can be nominated after being a member of AAAS for at least four consecutive years.
“As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the AAAS Fellows Program, AAAS is proud to recognize the newly elected individuals. This year’s class embodies scientific excellence, fosters trust in science throughout the communities they serve, and leads the next generation of scientists while advancing scientific achievements,” Sudip S. Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals said in a national news release.
The association began creating fellowships in 1874 where W.E.B. Dubois, a major contributor to American Sociology, and Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to make it to space, became some of the many honorable Fellows over the years.
Some past University recipients include Lee Dyer from the Department of Biology and Ana de Bettencourt-Dias from the Department of Chemistry.
This year, 502 scientists and engineers joined the ranks of fellows. They are presented with a certificate and a blue and gold rosette, symbolizing the honor that AAAS bestows upon its members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers.
After receiving this fellowship, recipients are expected to continue aiming for a high standard of ethics and scientific integrity.
