Tucson Standard

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences has announced the election of 250 new members, including Judith Bronstein, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Arizona. Bronstein is part of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a member of the BIO5 Institute.

Founded in 1780, the academy aims to address societal challenges through shared knowledge and ideas. Its membership comprises individuals who contribute to advancing knowledge or applying it to solve societal issues. Over 14,500 members have been elected since its inception.

Judith Bronstein expressed surprise at her election, stating, "This recognition came out of the blue, and that's the best kind." She noted her admiration for fellow ecologists within the academy and appreciated their supportive messages. Bronstein's work focuses on mutualism—mutually beneficial cooperation between species—and she has mentored many young scientists throughout her career.

Bronstein was inspired by Earth Day in 1970 to pursue environmental science. She studied environmental policy and science at Brown University before earning a doctoral degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Michigan in 1986. Joining UArizona in 1989, she became a University Distinguished Professor in 2012. Her accolades include being named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2016 and receiving an award from the American Society of Naturalists in 2023.

Michael Worobey, head of UArizona's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, praised Bronstein: "I am thrilled for professor Bronstein... She is utterly deserving of this – one of the highest honors bestowed on scientists in the United States."

The academy has historically elected innovative thinkers such as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Maria Mitchell, Robert Frost, Martha Graham, Margaret Mead, Milton Friedman, and Martin Luther King Jr. Today’s membership includes over 250 Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners.

David Oxtoby, president of the academy said: "We honor these artists, scholars, scientists and leaders... We invite these exceptional individuals to join in the academy's work to address serious challenges."

Bronstein joins other notable UArizona faculty members like Roger Angel and Noam Chomsky as members of this prestigious institution. The induction ceremony will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in September.