Trio of researchers elected AAAS fellows

Toronto, ON – Three University of Toronto professors have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

James Donaldson, a professor of chemistry at the University of Toronto Scarborough; Jean Zu of mechanical and industrial engineering; and Peter Zandstra, Canada Research Chair in Stem Call Bioengineering, were among the 471 new fellows named October 25. Fellows are recognized for meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications.

Dr Donaldson is cross-appointed to the department of chemistry. He is cited for his pioneering fundamental contributions through teaching and research to understanding sunlight-initiated environmental chemical processes with concepts and tools of physical chemistry.

As a researcher with both the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and its Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, Dr Zandstras work integrates engineering and biological approaches. Cross-appointed to both medicine and engineering, he is cited for distinguished contributions to the field of bioengineering, particularly for fundamental studies into the development of bioprocesses for the production of stem cells and their derivatives.

Dr Zu, whose expertise is in vibrations and dynamics, is currently president of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering and was elected one of its fellows in 2001. She is cited by AAAS for outstanding contributions to mechanical vibrations in automotive applications and for distinguished contributions to CSME as its president.