Stony Brook University Faculty Members Join Ranks of Elite Scientists as 2025 AAAS Fellows

STONY BROOK, NY - March 27, 2026 - The State University of New York at Stony Brook's (Stony Brook University) Jackie L. Collier and Pamela A. Abshire were recently named 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows.

The AAAS Fellows program was first established in 1874. To be considered as a Fellow, AAAS members must be nominated by the Steering Committee of their respective sections by three Fellows or the CEO of AAAS. Nominations are reviewed by the AAAS Council, which then votes on the nominations. To become an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor.

"This year's AAAS Fellows have demonstrated research excellence, made notable contributions to advance science, and delivered important services to their communities," said Sudip S. Parikh, PhD, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. "These Fellows and their accomplishments validate the importance of investing in science and technology for the benefit of all."

"Congratulations to Pamela and Jackie for being recognized as AAAS Fellows," said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost. "They have each made incredible contributions to their fields in biosensors and marine science, respectively, and I'm so pleased to see them join this select group of exceptional scientists and researchers from across the country. Recognitions like these underscore Stony Brook's reputation as a state flagship and leading research university, and the years of effort behind these kinds of honors are advancing our understanding of the world and improving our society."

As AAAS Fellows, Collier and Abshire join a class of nearly 500 scientists, engineers, and innovators. Together, they make up the ranks of distinguished scientists, engineers, and innovators who have been recognized for their contributions in the areas of academia, research, and science communications. Notable AAAS Fellows include Maria Mitchell, Steven Chu, Ellen Ochoa, Irwin M. Jacobs, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison, and Ayanna Howard.

Collier and Abshire will be recognized for their achievements at the Fellows Forum on May 29 in Washington, DC at an event held during the AAAS Annual Meeting, where they will be presented with a certificate and a blue and gold rosette.

Jackie L. Collier

"It is a real pleasure to feel recognized for doing good science that has made a meaningful contribution and that recognition will help me continue to do more of the same." Collier said.

Jackie L. Collier is a professor and Graduate Program Director in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) and has been teaching at Stony Brook University since 2002. Prior to Stony Brook, Professor Collier taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from 1996-2004. Before teaching, she was a National Science Foundation (NSF) Marine Biotechnology Postdoctoral Fellow, with Dr. Brian Palenik Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego. Her research has been funded by NSF, New York Sea Grant, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and other sources, and she is a member of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology. She has authored 65 papers. At Stony Brook University she has been recognized with the Dean's Award for Excellence in Service by a GPD. Her alma mater is Stanford University, where she earned her PhD in 1994.

Professor Collier is being honored for contributions to marine microbial ecology, particularly for illuminating the genomics and ecology of marine labyrinthulomycete protists and their viruses, and for pioneering genetic tools to study these organisms.

Pamela A. Abshire

"I am deeply honored to be recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the nation's foremost organization for scientific advocacy and community," said Abshire. "Throughout my career, I have been captivated by the challenge of understanding novel computational models - such as analog computing and biocomputing - that promise far greater efficiency than conventional approaches. That pursuit has led me to develop sensors and systems that deepen our understanding of the rich connections between biology and technology."

Pamela Abshire is chair and professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Stony Brook University. Earlier in her career, she worked for the biomedical device company Medtronic. Before joining Stony Brook University, she was a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Institute of Systems Research at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Professor Abshire is internationally known for her work in low power mixed-signal integrated circuits (IC), adaptive ICs and IC sensors, and CMOS biosensors. Her research focuses on better understanding and exploiting the tradeoffs between performance and resources in natural and engineered systems. Her honors include an NSF CAREER award, elevation to IEEE Fellow, and recognition as a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher at the University of Maryland.

The professor has authored 160+ publications and has three U.S. patents. She served on the Emerging Technologies and Research Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Commerce, on the Board of Governors for the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (3 terms), the IEEE Fellow Committee, as General Co-Chair for the 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, on the Microsystems Exploratory Council for the DARPA Microsystem Technology Office, as General Co-Chair for the 2023 IEEE International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, as Technical Program Chair for the 2025 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference, and on the Scientific Advisory Council for the SUNY-IBM AI Research Alliance. Her alma mater is Johns Hopkins University, where she earned her PhD in 2001.

Professor Abshire is being honored for her distinguished contributions to the design of bio-inspired, sensing and adaptive integrated circuits.

Photo 1 Caption: Professor Jackie Collier, Photo 1 Credit: John Griffin/Stony Brook University

Photo 2 Caption: Professor Pamela Abshire, Photo 2 Credit: John Griffin/Stony Brook University

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About the State University of New York at Stony Brook

The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York's flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 26,000 students, more than 3,000 faculty members, more than 225,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world's biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked as the #58 overall university and #26 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 71 research institutions in North America. The university's distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize, Fields Medal and Breakthrough Prizes in Mathematics and Physics. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy - one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. In 2023, Stony Brook was named the anchor institution for The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $8.93 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/ and X@stonybrooku.