GW President Steven Knapp and Martha Finnemore, professor of political science and international affairs, have been elected as members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) – one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies and a leading center for independent policy research.
Dr. Knapp and Dr. Finnemore are two of 212 new members being recognized for their achievements in the fields of science, scholarship, business, public affairs and the arts.
“It is truly an honor to join Professor Finnemore and so many distinguished colleagues as a newly elected fellow of this renowned institution,” said Dr. Knapp. “It is also humbling to reflect on the extent of the academy’s contributions, over more than two centuries, to our nation’s knowledge and welfare.”
A specialist in Romanticism, literary theory and the relation of literature to philosophy and religion, Dr. Knapp taught at the University of California, Berkeley, before serving as dean of arts and sciences and then provost at the Johns Hopkins University. He became president of GW in 2007.
Dr. Finnemore, whose research focuses on global governance, international organizations, ethics and social theory, is the author of several prize-winning books and a variety of articles.
“I am deeply grateful and honored that I have been elected to AAAS,” said Dr. Finnemore. “I am delighted that my colleagues are so supportive of me and could never have achieved this without them.”
AAAS was founded in 1780 by John Adams, James Bowdoin, John Hancock and other scholar-patriots. Each year, AAAS elects men and women that have exceptional achievement in science, scholarship, business, public affairs or the arts. Distinguished members have included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill.
Today, there are more than 4,000 fellows, including more than 250 Nobel laureates and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 600 foreign honorary academy members. Members contribute to studies of science and technology policy, global security, social policy and American institutions, the humanities and education.
“It is a privilege to honor these men and women for their extraordinary individual accomplishments,” said Leslie Berlowitz, AAAS president. “The knowledge and expertise of our members give the academy a unique capacity – and responsibility – to provide practical policy solutions to the pressing challenges of the day. We look forward to engaging our new members in this work.”
Dr. Knapp and Dr. Finnemore, along with the rest of the new members, will be inducted into AAAS at a ceremony on Oct. 1 at the academy’s headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.