Two UMD Faculty Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Two University of Maryland faculty members have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies. David C. Driskell, distinguished university professor emeritus of art, and Elaine S. Oran, Ph.D., Glenn L. Martin Institute professor of engineering, are among 213 new members of the academy being recognized for their accomplishments as scholars, scientists, writers, artists, and civic & philanthropic leaders.

Driskell is known for his poignant work as an artist and scholar. He has had an active career as a practicing artist, teacher, curator, collector, art administrator and art consultant. He is known for curating the exhibition, "Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750-1950" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art—the first comprehensive survey of African American art. He has lectured globally and his works are included in major collections of art museums across the world. In 2001, UMD established the David C. Driskell Center to honor Driskell and preserve the rich heritage of African American visual art and culture. As a leading authority on African American art, he has received numerous fellowships, awards, and accolades including the Harmon Foundation Fellowship, three Rockefeller Foundation Fellowships, and thirteen honorary doctoral degrees in art.

Oran is widely recognized for her contributions to the advancement of science and engineering. She pioneered computational technology for the solution of complex reactive flow problems, unifying concepts from science, mathematics, engineering and computer science in a new methodology. Oran has received many awards and honors, including the Fluid Dynamics Prize of the American Physical Society, the Zeldovich Gold Medal of the Combustion Institute and the Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award. In addition, Oran is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering, which is among the highest professional distinctions in the industry. She has also published extensively in journals, and her research has garnered significant media coverage.

Driskell and Oran joins other distinguished notables in the 2018 Class, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia M. Sotomayor, 44th President of the United States Barack H. Obama, author Ta-Nehisi Coates, and philanthropist and entrepreneur Laurene Powell Jobs. Driskell and Oran’s election into the Academy this year brings the total number of UMD faculty who are members of academies to 56.

“Membership in the Academy is not only an honor, but also an opportunity and a responsibility,” said Jonathan Fanton, president of the American Academy. “Members can be inspired and engaged by connecting with one another and through Academy projects dedicated to the common good. The intellect, creatively and commitment of the 2018 Class will enrich the work of the Academy and the world in which we live.”

The new class will be inducted at a ceremony in October 2018 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The full list of the newly elected members is available at www.amacad.org/members.