Joining the ranks of such noted scientists as W.E.B. DuBois, Thomas Edison, and Maria Mitchell, Dr. Matthew Smith has been named a lifetime fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. The honor, among the most distinctive in academia, recognizes extraordinary impact and achievement across disciplines, from research, teaching, and technology, to administration in academia, industry, and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public.

An associate professor of plant pathology whose work focuses on a variety of fungal biology topics, Dr. Smith is also the curator of the UF Fungal Herbarium collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The honor is “recognition that mycology is an important field,” said Dr. Smith. “Fungi and mycology have often been overlooked. I see it as recognition of the lab, as well,” he said. “I’m part of a great team.”

Dr. Smith is among 19 faculty members from across the University of Florida named to the latest class of fellows, the most to receive the honor at UF in a single year.

“I am thrilled that five of our faculty have received this prestigious honor from the American Association for the Advancement of Science,” said Plant Pathology Department Chair Dr. Rosemary Loria, herself a 2020 recipient of the honor.

In addition to Dr. Smith and Dr. Loria, other UF Plant Pathology AAAS Fellows include Preeminent Professor Karen Garrett, Distinguished Professor Jeff Jones, and Preeminent Professor Frank White.

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