Departmental News

Posted:  Jun 03, 2024 - 01:00pm

Dr. Jada Benn Torres (UNM PhD, 2006) has been elected a fellow by the  American Association for the Advancement of Science.   Dr. Torres is an Associate Professor of Genetics, Race, and Genetic Ancestry and director for the Laboratory of Genetic Anthropology and Biocultural Studies at Vanderbilt University. Her primary research area is the Anglophone Caribbean where she explores genetic ancestry and population history of African and Indigenous Caribbean peoples. A second emerging area of her research combines the tools and theories of genetic epidemiology with anthropology in order to holistically examine health disparities.  This work focuses on women’s health disparities, with a specific focus on the uterine fibroids among women of African descent.

In 2023, the AAAS Council elected 502 members as Fellows of AAAS. Election as a Fellow honors members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers and colleagues.