Four named American Academy fellows

Four members of the aculty have been named fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

They include Richard J. Davidson, Vilas professor of psychology and psychiatry; Perry A. Frey, Robert H. Abeles professor of biochemistry; Laura L. Kiessling, professor of chemistry and biochemistry; and Thongchai Winichakul, professor of history.

Among the 187 new fellows selected this year by the American Academy, the faculty members were recognized for their contributions to “advancing intellectual thought and constructive action.”

Davidson, director of the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior, uses brain-imaging technology to study emotion and affective disorders, including depression and anxiety. Frey investigates the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions. Kiessling, who studies the interaction among cells and their environment, is distinguished for her contributions to understanding how cells integrate and respond to many different stimuli. Winichakul is a specialist in the intellectual and cultural history of Thailand, with an emphasis on knowledge and the construction of the Thai nationhood.

Founded in 1780 by John Adams, the American Academy is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It provides a forum for individuals from science, scholarship, business, public affairs and the arts to conduct projects related to the needs and problems of society. It currently has 3,700 fellows and 600 foreign honorary members, who include 150 Nobel laureates and 50 Pulitzer Prize winners.