A nurse sociologist, a mathematician and a biochemist from Penn recently joined the ranks of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellowship honoring contributions to the sciences, scholarship, public affairs and the arts.

The three -- Linda H. Aiken, Ph.D.; Fan R.K. Chung, Ph.D.; and William F. DeGrado, Ph.D. -- will take their places along with 53 fellow Penn professors who have attained Academy membership.

Aiken, a professor of sociology and Trustee Professor of Nursing, has done healthcare research and is the director of the Center for Health Services and Policy Research, among other Penn affiliations.

Mathematician Chung specializes in primary graph theory, combinatorics and algorithmic design, and is active on numerous math journals' editorial boards.

DeGrado's studies have focused on molecular design as an approach to understanding the structure and function of macromolecules.