Chimamanda elected into American Academy of Arts and Science

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Celebrated novelist, Chimamanda Adichie and 227 others have been elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Making the announcement Thursday, the Academy of Arts and Science, listed Chimamanda among 40 Foreign Honorary Members from 19 countries.
A press release from the Academy states that the 237th class of members also includes philanthropist and singer-songwriter John Legend, award-winning actress Carol Burnett, chairman of the board of Xerox Corporation Ursula Burns, mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, and immunologist James P. Allison.
“It is an honor to welcome this new class of exceptional women and men as part of our distinguished membership. Their talents and expertise will enrich the life of the Academy and strengthen our capacity to spread knowledge and understanding in service to the nation,” Don Randel, Chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors states.
Academy President, Jonathan F. Fanton also states; “In a tradition reaching back to the earliest days of our nation, the honor of election to the American Academy is also a call to service. Through our projects, publications, and events, the Academy provides members with opportunities to make common cause and produce the useful knowledge for which the Academy’s 1780 charter calls.”
Also listed among the 40 Foreign Honorary Members is Nigerian banker, entrepreneur, investor and member of the National Economic Management Team (NEMT), Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on October 7, 2017, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the country’s oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, convening leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing the nation and the world. Current Academy research focuses on education, the humanities, and the arts; science, engineering, and technology policy; global security and international affairs; and American institutions and the public good. The Academy’s work is advanced by its elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs from around the world.

Source: The Nation