Roger Wakimoto, UCLA’s vice chancellor for research and creative activities, has been elected to the board of directors of the Association for the Advancement of Science.
Wakimoto, an atmospheric scientist, specializes in mesoscale meteorology, particularly severe convective storms, tornadoes and radar meteorology. In addition to serving as president of the American Meteorological Society from 2017–19, he has served as the director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and as assistant director of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Geosciences, where he led a division that supported the atmospheric, geospace, polar, earth and ocean sciences.
Wakimoto began as the vice chancellor for research in July 2017. Responding to feedback from the UCLA community, he subsequently changed the working title to vice chancellor for research and creative activities in order to capture the variety of scholarship undertaken by UCLA’s faculty and students.
“AAAS should strive to be the ‘go-to organization’ for its members, policymakers and the general public, including underserved communities, for the most recent scientific discoveries,” he said in his candidate statement. Wakimoto also highlighted the role of AAAS, the world’s largest scientific society, in addressing climate change, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in science and combating misinformation.
Since 1874, the AAAS, which publishes the Science family of journals, has selected members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science, and its applications in service to society, have distinguished them among their peers. The multidisciplinary society has members in more than 91 countries.
