Two CSE scientists elected as AAAS Fellows
Election as a Fellow is prestigious honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (03/26/26) — University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering Professors Erin E. Carlson and Maria Gini have been named 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows, one of the most distinct honors in the scientific community. They are among five faculty elected from the University of Minnesota.
Election as a Fellow is bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. The 2025 Fellows class includes a select group of scientists, engineers, and innovators spanning 24 scientific disciplines who are being recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements.
Erin E. Carlson, Ph.D., is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the College of Science and Engineering’s Department of Chemistry. Carlson is an innovator in the interdisciplinary area of chemical biology, a leader in mentorship and training, and a strong advocate for inclusive excellence. The Carlson research group addresses the growing global emergency of antibiotic resistance. To date, her research has produced more than 90 papers and six patents, while also providing interdisciplinary training for numerous students and postdoctoral researchers.
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. Carlson’s impact on the broader field of chemistry has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Research Corporation for Science Advancement’s Cottrell Plus SEED Award, the NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award, the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the Sloan Research Fellowship, the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, and NSF CAREER Award.
Maria Gini, Ph.D., is a College of Science and Engineering Distinguished Professor and a Distinguished University Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. She has been at the forefront of the field of robotics and multi-agent systems for decades, consistently bringing artificial intelligence into robotics. Her work spans both the design of novel algorithms and practical applications from manufacturing to agriculture to healthcare.
In addition to her research, Gini is a tireless advocate for inspiring the next generation of tech leaders. She serves as a mentor for the National Science Foundation’s CSGrad4US program and as the chair of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence’s Professional Development and Career Mentoring Committee. Gini also runs a summer program to teach high school students computer programming. She has received numerous prestigious awards including the United States Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, and the ACM/SIGAI Autonomous Agents Research Award.
AAAS Fellows play a crucial role in shaping public policy, advancing scientific research and influencing national and global perspectives on critical issues. Becoming an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, which comes with an expectation that recipients maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.
Other University of Minnesota faculty honored were:
Daniel Harki - College of Pharmacy
Michael Gale - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School
Carolyn Silflow - Emerita, Plant and Microbial Biology, College of Biological Sciences
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