Class Speakers at Ceremony, Induction 2026 | American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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The new members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences marked their induction with a series of events, including compelling talks from new members of each of the Academy's categories of membership.

Shwetak Patel (Class I – Mathematical and Physical Sciences)
Leslie Vosshall (Class II – Biological Sciences)
Duncan Watts (Class III – Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Erica Armstrong Dunbar (Class IV – Humanities and Arts)
Jack Dangermond (Class V – Leadership, Policy, and Communications)

Shwetak Patel, computer scientist

Introduced by Juan Enriquez

Leslie Vosshall, molecular biologist

Introduced by Marilyn Simons

Duncan Watts, computational social scientist

Introduced by Scott Sagan

Erica Armstrong Dunbar, social historian

Introduced by Anna Deavere Smith

Jack Dangermond, environmental scientist and technologist

Introduced by James Fallows

Featuring

Class I Introduction

Juan Enriquez

Academy Member

Class I Speaker

Shwetak N. Patel

Academy Member

Class II Introduction

Marilyn Hawrys Simons

Academy Member

Class II Speaker

Leslie Vosshall

Academy Member

Class III Introduction

Scott D. Sagan

Academy Member

Class III Speaker

Duncan J. Watts

Academy Member

Class IV Introduction

Anna Deavere Smith

Academy Member

Class IV Speaker

Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Academy Member

Class V Introduction

James Fallows

Academy Member

Class V Speaker

Jack Dangermond

Academy Member

Videos

Shwetak Patel, Professor of Chemistry, Academy Induction Address 2026

Leslie Vosshall, Molecular Biologist, Academy Induction Address 2026

Duncan Watts, Computational Social Scientist, Academy Induction Address 2026

Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Social Historian, Academy Induction Address 2026

Jack Dangermond, Environmental Scientist and Technologist, Academy Induction Address 2026

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