SU professor and director named AAAS Fellow
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recently elected Rao M. Uppu, professor and director of Southern University Baton Rouge's (SUBR) Environment Toxicology Ph.D. Program, and Health Research Center, "Fellow."
Uppu is being recognized for distinguished contributions in the field of oxidative biology, particularly for modeling and understanding of enzymatic hydrogen transfer, biological nitration, and signaling by "ozone-specific" oxysterols.
The AAAS Council elected 347 Fellows for 2015, in recognition of their contributions to innovation, innovation, education, and scientific leadership. The tradition of electing AAAS Fellows began in 1874 to recognize members for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.
Uppu is the first professor at SU to receive the prestigious distinction from the world's largest general scientific society.
The newly elected Fellows will be formally recognized on Feb. 13, 2016, at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the society's annual meeting in Washington, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
"Certainly, congratulations are in order for such a distinguished acknowledgement for Dr. Uppu's notable research and scholarly work," said Ray L. Belton, SU System President-Chancellor. "Through his unique endeavors in his field, he has had made history by becoming the first AAAS Fellow elected while at Southern University. The Southern University System is proud of Dr. Uppu's achievement."
According to AAAS, the AAAS Council elects Fellows annually from the list of approved nominations from the Section Steering Committees. A member whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished and who has been a continuous member for the four year period leading up to the year of nomination, may, by virtue of such meritorious contribution be elected a Fellow by the Council.
"I exhilaratingly congratulate Dr. Rao Uppu for his election to an AAAS Fellow position," said Robert Miller, former dean of Sciences and Agriculture, SUBR. "His becoming one of only seven AAAS Fellows in Louisiana in the subject area of chemistry is truly a great accomplishment for him, a significant milestone for SUBR in general, and a high point for the SUBR Environmental Toxicology Program in particular."
The AAAS appointment is among several recent accomplishments for the SU professor and administrator.
Last year, Uppu was selected as a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT). According to a DABT press release, there are only four DABT and two Fellow ATS in the higher education system of Louisiana. Uppu holds the distinction of being one of just two toxicologists in Louisiana to have both DABT and Fellow ATS.
In 2013, he was elected as a "Fellow" of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences (Fellow ATS). Uppu, a longtime member of Society of Toxicology, was recognized for his work in the areas of ozone-mediated oxidations, oxidative and nitrosative stress, and cell signaling.
Uppu is one of a small number of scientists who are both a DABT and a Fellow ATS. There are about 2,000 Diplomates of ABT and 300 Fellow ATS worldwide and fewer than 100 have both board certifications like Uppu..
Uppu has published numerous research articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been on the editorial boards of several of them. He has mentored several graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and has been adjudicator for some PhD/DSc theses from other countries.
In 2007, Uppu was honored as the University-wide researcher and professor of the year. He also received Southern's Business and Industry Cluster Quality Award (2011), Telugu Association of North America Excellence in Science Award (2011), and the SUBR Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2013).
Read full AAAS press release here: http://www.aaas.org/news/2015-aaas-fellows-recognized-contributions-advancing-science
About AAAS
AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society, and publisher of the journal, Science as well as Science Translational Medicine, and Science Signaling. AAAS was founded in 1848, and includes 254 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The non-profit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, and more.
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