Erin E. Carlson named 2025 AAAS Fellow
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/26/2026) – Department of Chemistry Professor Erin E. Carlson has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She is one of five faculty from the University of Minnesota elected to the AAAS this year.
Carlson joined the Department of Chemistry faculty in 2014. Over the course of her professorial career, Carlson has been recognized as an innovator in the interdisciplinary area of chemical biology, a leader in mentorship and training, and a strong advocate for inclusive excellence. For her outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry and the University, Carlson was named the Smith Professor of Chemistry in 2021 and a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in 2025.
The Carlson research group seeks to address the growing global emergency of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics have been one of the key reasons that the human lifespan has steadily increased for many decades – but resistance to these essential drugs has reached a critical tipping point. It is estimated that by 2050, more people will die from resistant infections in the United States than from cancer. Traditional antibacterial drugs directly kill bacteria, which results in the rapid evolution of drug resistance. Carlson’s innovative approach aims to instead block the ability of bacteria to sense and respond to their surroundings. Her group works to expand the collective understanding of how bacteria interact with their environment and how this can be disrupted to weaken a pathogen’s ability to cause disease. Her research is highly interdisciplinary, spanning chemistry, microbiology, medicinal chemistry, and biochemistry. To date, her research has produced more than 90 papers and 6 patents, while also providing interdisciplinary training for numerous graduate and undergraduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows.
In addition to her work in the lab, Carlson currently serves as the co-director of the University of Minnesota’s National Institutes of Health Chemistry Biology Interface Training Grant (CBITG). The CBITG provides interdisciplinary training to chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and biochemistry graduate students. CBITG trainees gain skills necessary to cross traditional boundaries, conducting scientific research at the interface of chemistry and biology. The program also fosters professional development in the areas of career awareness, knowledge of chemical biology, rigor and reproducibility, ethical conduct of research, and appreciation of the contributions of scientists from all backgrounds. Founded in 1999 by Regents Professor Emeritus Lawrence Que, CBITG has trained more than 90 University of Minnesota graduate students over the past quarter of a century.
“I’m honored to be recognized by the AAAS for the exciting science made possible by the hard work, creativity, and dedication of the outstanding trainees and collaborators I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years. Interdisciplinary research like ours thrives when people with diverse expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives come together to tackle complex problems.” – Erin E. Carlson, Distinguished McKnight University Professor
Carlson’s impact on the department and the broader field of chemistry has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Research Corporation for Science Advancement’s Cottrell Plus SEED Award (2024), the Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor Award from the UMN Postdoctoral Association (2017), the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE; 2016), the American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee Rising Star Award (2016), the Sloan Research Fellowship (2013), an NSF CAREER Award (2012), the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2011), and she was named a Pew Biomedical Scholar (2010) and a Cottrell Research Scholar (2012).
“Prof. Carlson is impressively ambitious in the science she pursues, with a clear focus on solving impactful problems like understanding antibiotic resistance. We are lucky to have her as a colleague, and I’m thrilled that her excellence is being recognized by AAAS. This achievement brings valuable visibility to the department that benefits all of us.” – Christy Haynes, Head of the Department of Chemistry
About the AAAS Fellows program
AAAS Fellows are a distinguished cadre of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines, from research, teaching, and technology, to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.
In a tradition stretching back to 1874, these individuals are elected annually by the AAAS Council. Newly elected Fellows are recognized for their extraordinary achievements at the ceremonial Fellows Forum, a time-honored event where they are presented with a certificate and blue and gold rosette.
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