Professor Michael Chabinyc, Chair of UC Santa Barbara’s Materials Department, has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. This year, AAAS members selected 489 fellows from around the world for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Chabinyc was recognized for his “distinguished contributions to the field of polymer science, particularly for elucidating the relationship of the structure and electronic properties of organic semiconductors to device properties.”
“I greatly appreciate the recognition by AAAS, which has members spanning all areas of science,” said Chabinyc, who has also been elected a fellow by the National Academy of Inventors, the American Physical Society, and the Materials Research Society. “AAAS is a particularly special organization because of its important efforts promoting science to the public.”
Chabinyc studies materials for flexible electronics, with a particular focus on thin-film electronic materials. Organic semiconductors can be dissolved and printed as an ink, allowing for the manufacturing of displays, like those that wrap over the edges of smart phones or enable curved television screens and lightweight solar cells. Chabinyc’s group examines how ordered structures form in semiconducting polymers and how it impacts their electrical performance in various applications.
“Our group continues its efforts in a broad range of materials that impact our daily lives. Some of our current interests include super-soft bottlebrush polymers for sensors and plastics that combine ionic and electrical conduction,” explained Chabinyc, who is an inventor on 47 patents in the areas of flexible electronics, bioanalytical devices, and electronic materials.
Armand Kuris, a professor in UCSB’s Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology Department, was also elected an AAAS Fellow this year. Kuris was recognized for
“important investigations of the ecological role of infectious agents in ecosystems, for practical applications including control of schistosomiasis in Africa and mentoring diverse students.”
Publisher of the journal Science, the AAAS includes more than 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The honor of being elected a Fellow of AAAS dates back to 1874. They will be presented with an official certificate and a blue and yellow (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin. New Fellows will be inducted during a virtual Fellows Forum in February 2021.
