May 3, 2005

National Academy of Sciences Elects Two From UCSB

Paul Desruisseaux

Two members of the UC Santa Barbara faculty have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research, the academy announced today.

Anthony G. Evans, a professor of materials in the College of Engineering, and Joseph G. Polchinski, a professor of physics and a permanent member of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, were among the 72 new members and 18 foreign associates elected today during the business session of the 142nd annual meeting of the academy.

The National Academy of Sciences is the country's most prestigious scientific organization, and election to membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a U.S. scientist or engineer. Those elected today bring the total number of active members to 1,976.

The election of Evans and Polchinski brings to a total of 25 the number of current UCSB faculty members who have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Said UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang: "We at UCSB are delighted that the work of two more of our faculty colleagues has been recognized in this important way. Being elected to the National Academy of Sciences reflects the highest regard of one's peers in the scientific community and is truly a prized distinction. Our campus community is proud to congratulate Professors Evans and Polchinski and to salute their achievements in scientific research."

Polchinski received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 1980. He went on to research positions at the Stanford Linear Accelerator and Harvard University before serving on the University of Texas faculty. He joined the faculty at UC Santa Barbara in 1992.

Polchinski's research interests include string theory, particle physics, and all applications of quantum field theory. The author of a two-volume text on string theory, he has been a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Evans received his Ph.D. at Imperial College London in 1967. He has extensive experience in both industry and academe, including positions at the National Bureau of Standards and the Rockwell International Science Center as well as UC Berkeley, Princeton, and Harvard. He joined the faculty at UCSB in 1984 to chair the new materials department.

Evans's research interests include the thermochemical performance of structural materials used in aerospace, automotive and electronic applications, design and durability models, multilayers, ultralight structures, and thin films. He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. It was established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation signed by Abraham Lincoln that calls on the Academy to act as an official adviser to the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science or technology.

The academy's Web site can be found at http://national-academies.org/

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.