Feb. 22, 2023
Rhoads named Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science
By Matt McGowan, science and research communications officer
University of Arkansas, University Relations
Fast facts
- AAAS is largest general scientific society, publishes the journal “Science.”
- Rhoads has research appointment with Division of Agriculture
- Is an affiliated faculty member of Center of Excellence for Poultry Science
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Related PHOTO: https://flic.kr/p/2oigLn2
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University Professor Douglas Rhoads has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science.
As one of only 20 fellows representing the Section on Agriculture, Food & Renewable Resources, Rhoads was chosen by his peers and colleagues for advancing science and its applications in service to society. The organization elected a total of 505 fellows across 24 scientific sections.
Rhoads is director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, a graduate degree program he helped establish at the University of Arkansas. With 119 faculty from four colleges and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cell and Molecular Biology has grown into one of the largest doctoral programs on campus. His faculty appointment is in Fulbright College’s department of biological sciences.
He also has a research appointment with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, and is an affiliated faculty member in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science.
Rhoads’ research has focused on genetics and genomics in a variety of species, including yeast, bears, tomatoes, fungi, rice, scorpions, snakes and bacteria. For many years, he has focused primarily on genetics and genomics of metabolic diseases of chickens. He has also published more than 80 scientific articles and reports on these topics.
Rhoads has won many teaching and research awards at the University of Arkansas. These include:
- Master Researcher Award, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, 2021
- Outstanding Graduate Mentor and Educator Award, Teaching and Faculty Support Center, 2019
- University of Arkansas Teaching Academy, 2018
- John Imhoff Award for faculty research publication, 2018
- Graduate School Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, 2017
- Collis R. Geren Award for faculty commitment to graduate programs, 2017
- John Imhoff Award for faculty research publication, 2016
- Academic Advising Council Outstanding Faculty Advisor, 2012
As a teacher and mentor, Rhoads has had a significant impact on thousands of University of Arkansas students, including alumna Tameka Bailey, currently assistant professor in the department of biological sciences.
“The ongoing mentorship that I received from Dr. Rhoads changed the trajectory of my life,” Bailey said. “He understood that as an underrepresented minority from rural Arkansas, I would need extensive and engaging mentorship to be successful in the program. He challenged me to excel in graduate school, and he had high expectations for me.
“After I graduated from the U of A, he helped me find my first job, advised me through my postdoc and has been instrumental in my career development now as a faculty member,” Bailey said. “I wouldn’t be here without the generosity, wisdom and compassion of Dr. Rhoads.”
AAAS fellows are recognized for their extraordinary achievements across many disciplines. Examples of areas in which nominees may have made significant contributions are research, teaching, technology, services to professional societies, academic administration, industry, government, and communicating and interpreting science to the public. Fellows are elected annually by the AAAS Council from the list of approved nominations from the Section Steering Groups.
Rhoads received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology at Wichita State University and his Ph.D. at Kansas State University. He joined the University of Arkansas in 1990. In 2015, he rose to the rank of University Professor.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and on Instagram at @ArkAgResearch. To learn about Extension Programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit https://uaex.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AR_Extension and Instagram at @AR_Extension.
To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, and discovery through research and creative activity, while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.