Top Honors for Lehigh Faculty

Lehigh University chemistry professor Robert A. Flowers II, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) - an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

Flowers, chair of Lehigh’s Department of Chemistry, was lauded for his distinguished contributions to the field of physical organic chemistry, particularly in understanding the mechanism of single electron transfer reactions of lanthanides in important synthetic reactions.

Flowers was among 702 AAAS members who were named fellows because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. He will be formally recognized during the AAAS' Annual Meeting in February.

Earlier this year, Flowers and an international team of chemists were recognized for developing a new method for jump-starting common industrial chemical reactions with a single-electron catalyst that regenerates itself during the reaction. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Lehigh University professor of mathematics Donald Davis has been named a member of the American Mathematical Society's initial Class of Fellows.

The Fellows of the AMS designation recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics. Among the goals of the program are to create an enlarged class of mathematicians recognized by their peers as distinguished for their contributions to the profession and to honor excellence.

The AMS is the world's largest and most influential society dedicated to mathematical research, scholarship, and education. Recent advances in mathematics include solutions to age-old problems and key applications useful for society, said AMS President Eric M. Friedlander. The new AMS Fellows Program recognizes some of the most accomplished mathematicians - AMS members who have contributed to our understanding of deep and important mathematical questions, to applications throughout the scientific world, and to educational excellence.

Davis is named among more than 1,000 mathematical scientists from around the world, repesenting more than 600 institutions.

Regionally, Davis has received recognition for coching a local high school math team in the American Regions Mathematics League. Last year, the team won its third consecutive national title and fourth in the past seven years.