Prof Himla Soodyall, Executive Officer: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), has been elected as an international member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). She is a renowned geneticist, science communicator and advocate for respect and equality in all things.

She said that it was a great honor to have been elected as an international member of NAS and that she was most grateful to the Members who nominated her and to the NAS for this prestigious accolade.

“I commit to maintain and exemplify the highest standards of scientific integrity and agree to follow the Academy’s Code of Conduct” Soodyall said.  In her position as the Executive Officer of ASSAf, she will use her position to facilitate engagement and collaboration between ASSAf Members and Members of the NAS.

The National Academy of Sciences announced the election of 120 members and 30 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Those elected bring the total number of active members to 2,512 and the total number of international members to 517. International members are nonvoting members of the Academy, with citizenship outside the United States.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and – with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine – provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organisations.