Southern Polytechnic State University President Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher has been named as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow. She was presented with a certificate during the Association's Annual Meeting in San Francisco February 17.

Each year, the AAAS council elects members whose "efforts on behalf of the advancement of sciences or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished." Dr. Rossbacher was chosen for her "distinguishable academic leadership, for superior service to the scientific community and for significantly enhancing the public interest in a broad array of diverse scientific topics," according to Richard Nicholson, executive director of AAAS.

"I am honored to have been elected as a fellow by my colleagues in AAAS," said Rossbacher. "The organization's efforts to increase public understanding of science and technology are one of the most important factors in education today. I have believed in the goals of AAAS since my parents gave me a year's membership as a college graduation present in 1975."

Founded in 1848, The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world's largest science organization, with more than 138,000 members and 275 affiliated professional societies. The AAAS played a key role in launching "Nova," the longest-running science program on television.

Dr. Rossbacher became president of Southern Polytechnic State University on August 1, 1998. From 1995 - 1998 she held the Russell I. Thompson Chair of the Dean of the College, and the position of professor of geology at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rossbacher's research has been sponsored by NASA since 1981. She currently serves on the Geological Society of America's Committee on Minorities and Women in the Geosciences, and previously acted as chair of the Geology and Geography Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.