Five Yale Affiliates Named AAAS Fellows

The prestigious honor recognizes their pioneering contributions to science and education.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 5:04am

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named five Yale faculty members and affiliates as incoming fellows, honoring their groundbreaking work in fields ranging from cancer epigenetics to sustainable engineering solutions.

Why it matters

Election as an AAAS fellow is one of the highest honors in the scientific community, recognizing researchers who have made significant contributions to advancing their respective fields. The new Yale fellows have demonstrated excellence in both research and education, underscoring the university's strength in the sciences.

The details

The five new AAAS fellows from Yale are Susan Baserga, Kenneth Nelson, Jacqueline Tanaka, Qin Yan, and Julie Zimmerman. Baserga was recognized for her pioneering work on the ribosome, while Nelson was lauded for his dedication to cell biology education and initiatives to support underrepresented STEM students. Tanaka was honored for her transformative impact on community-focused STEM programs, and Yan was recognized for her groundbreaking cancer epigenetics research. Zimmerman was cited for her distinguished contributions to advancing sustainable solutions and environmental education.

  • The new class of AAAS fellows was announced on March 27, 2026.
  • The incoming fellows will be honored during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in May 2026.

The players

Susan Baserga

The William H. Fleming Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and professor of genetics and of therapeutic radiology at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), who joined the Yale faculty in 1993.

Kenneth Nelson

A senior lecturer emeritus in molecular, cellular and developmental biology in FAS and a research scientist, who has been a Yale faculty member since 1993.

Jacqueline Tanaka

The associate director of STEM student success for Yale College's science and quantitative reasoning team, and an emeritus professor of biology at Temple University who moved to Yale in 2020.

Qin Yan

A professor of pathology at YSM and a member of the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale Stem Cell Center, and Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology.

Julie Zimmerman

Yale's vice provost for planetary solutions, the Lilane and Christian Haub Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and the Environment, and deputy director for research at the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, who joined the Yale faculty in 2007.

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What’s next

The incoming fellows will be honored during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in May 2026.

The takeaway

The new AAAS fellows from Yale have demonstrated excellence in both research and education, underscoring the university's strength in the sciences and its commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and supporting the next generation of STEM leaders.