09 Oct 07

Four Oxford University academics were admitted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on Saturday 6 October.

The 227th class of new Members includes Professors Louise Johnson, Peter Ratcliffe, Joseph Silk, and Timothy Williamson. The Academy, an independent policy research centre, has elected 202 new Fellows and 23 new Foreign Honorary Members who are leaders in scholarship, business, the arts, and public affairs.

Professor Dame Louise Johnson was elected David Phillips Professor in Molecular Biophysics in 1990. She is a member of the Department of Biochemistry, and is a Fellow of Corpus Christi College. She works in the field of structural biology and her research uses techniques of X-ray crystallography to determine the structures of biological macromolecules.

Professor Peter Ratcliffe was appointed to the Nuffield Professorship of Clinical Medicine in January 2004 and is a Fellow of Magdalen College. He is also an Honorary Consultant Physician at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust. His research interests include oxygen sensing and the regulation of transcription by oxygen.

Professor Joseph Silk has been Savilian Professor of Astronomy since 1999, a post in existence since 1619, and is a Fellow of New College. He is a member of the Department of Astrophysics. His research interests include theoretical cosmology, dark matter, galaxy formation, and cosmic microwave background.

Professor Timothy Williamson was appointed as the Wykeham Professor of Logic, Department of Philosophy, at Oxford in 2000 and is a Fellow of New College. His main research interests are in philosophical logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of language.

Academy President Emilio Bizzi said: ‘Throughout its history, Fellows of the Academy have been dedicated to advancing intellectual thought and constructive action in America and the world. We are confident that our newest group of Fellows will help us to fulfil that mission in significant ways.’