Pegasus Professor Chosen For Fellowship in American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science will induct Pegasus Professor Talat Rahman, Ph.D., as a fellow in an official ceremony this weekend.
The storied society traces its history back to the mid-19th century; Rahman shares her fellow status with scientists as varied as Thomas Edison, sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois and anthropologist Margaret Mead.
Rahman said the diversity and variety of sciences represented within AAAS positions it as a vital advocate for scientific public policy. She is proud to join the ranks of such an all-encompassing professional society.
Said Rahman: “I am proud of the fact that my citation for the award mentions my contributions to both my field of scientific research and to enhancing diversity in STEM. I am humbled that my small part in helping enhance diversity and inclusion at UCF has been recognized by my peers, in addition to my contributions to condensed matter physics.”
New fellows are nominated by three previously elected fellows, the steering group of a AAAS section or the organization’s CEO. Rahman was nominated “For distinguished contributions to computational and theoretical nanoscience, in predictions of chemical, vibrational, and structural properties of low-dimensional systems, together with diversity in STEM.”
A virtual induction for the new class of 489 newly elected fellows takes place on Feb. 13, 2021.
She received her undergraduate degree from University of Karachi, MPhil from Quaid-e-Azam University, and doctorate from University of Rochester – all in physics. After research appointments (postdoctoral to assistant research physicist) at University of California, Irvine, she served Kansas State University (1983-2006) through the ranks of assistant professor to university distinguished professor. She joined the University of Central Florida in 2006, and served as the department chair from 2006-2015.