Charles Kane and Scott Poethig of the University of Pennsylvania have been elected members of the National Academy of Sciences, considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a United States scientist or engineer.

Cited for “their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research,” Kane and Poethig are part of the 2014 Academy class of 84 members and 21 foreign associates from 15 countries.

Kane is the Class of 1965 Endowed Term Chair Professor of Physics in the School of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Physics and Astronomy. His research deals with the behavior of electrons in different kinds of structures, including a class of materials known as topological insulators, the theory behind which he proposed. Kane was named a Simons Investigator in 2012 in recognition of this work.     

Poethig is the Patricia M. Williams Term Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences. His work explores the juvenile-to-adult transition in plants, particularly focusing on the genes involved in regulating the timing of this process.

A complete list of the 2014 Academy members is available online.