Maria Gini named 2025 AAAS Fellow

Department of Computer Science & Engineering (CS&E) Professor Maria Gini was named a 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow, one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals. 

Gini is one of nearly 500 scientists, engineers, and innovators who have been elected 2025 Fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers. She is also the fifth CS&E faculty member to be named an AAAS Fellow, joining Joseph Konstan (2011), Yousef Saad (2010), Shashi Shekhar (2008), and Vipin Kumar (2006). 

“I have known about AAAS and their Fellow programs for years,” Gini said. “I have friends who are Fellows of AAAS, but I never thought I would be selected for that honor.  What I find special about AAAS is the interdisciplinarity nature of their community which expands beyond computer science.”

Gini joined the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN) in 1982, and is a world-renowned researcher, educator, and mentor in the field of computer science. She is a leader in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and multi-agent systems, and her work is globally known for its novel approach and practical, real-world impact. In addition to her academic achievements, Gini is passionate about educating and mentoring the next generation of scientists, for which she has earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) from President Joe Biden, the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence Organization (IJCAI) Donald E. Walker Distinguished Service Award, and the AAAI Distinguished Service Award. She also holds fellowships with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and now AAAS.

As a member of AAAS, Gini’s involvement over the years includes chairing panels on robotics, AI research, and more recently, large language models. She has attended multiple AAAS Annual Meetings and enjoys the breadth of work that AAAS represents across the scientific community with many opportunities to connect with researchers across disciplines.

“Maria has had an invaluable impact on our department and the field of robotics for over 40 years,” CS&E Department Head Loren Terveen said. “It is an honor for the Department to add another AAAS Fellow to our tenure of faculty. It is an indication of the breadth of the research in the Department, which transcends pure computer science and addresses real-world problems, wherever they occur, with the highest quality research.”

Dating back to 1874, the AAAS Fellows are a distinguished cadre of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines. Becoming an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and Fellows play a crucial role in shaping public policy, advancing scientific research, and influencing national and global perspectives on critical issues. Distinguished past honorees include Ellen Ochoa, Steven Chu, Grace Hopper, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison and Ayanna Howard.

Learn more about the AAAS Fellows Program.