Selected letters from the Classes of 2022 and 2023

Transcription:

Dear President Oxtoby and Chair Andrews,

With immense pride and humility, I celebrate my induction to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and I thank the Academy for the distinction my election bestows. This distinguished honor recognizes career accomplishments over a half century devoted to the careful study of Black lives, culture, history, institutions, and contributions and to documenting Black People’s ongoing quest for equality, self- determination, and dignity.

The recognition of my life’s work by this esteemed body means a great deal to me, family, friends, colleagues, and students. Whatever success I have enjoyed I owe to this supportive “Village” which always surrounds, protects, inspires, nurtures, and corrects.

I have strived to honor, to make proud and to tell the truths of those whose struggles paved the way. I stand on their shoulders. I fervently hope my efforts and contributions have helped empower future generations of Black “servant-leaders,” as they courageously advance the causes of community, equity and social justice.

In this moment, I sing Freedom Songs with the Ancestors; Join hands across the African Diaspora; and perform a Happy-Dance; secure in the knowledge that “Nighttime Don’t Last Always.”

With Sincerest Appreciation,

[signed]

Walter Recharde Allen, Ph.D.

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

Thank you so much for your letter of April 27. It is an enormous honor for me to have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and I am delighted to accept membership.

To a historian of the French Enlightenment, learned academies are a familiar subject. In addition to the famous Académie Française, eighteenth-century France boasted over fifty academies of one sort or another, and they played a decisive part in the country’s cultural and intellectual life. Most importantly, perhaps, they sponsored essay competitions, which did more than any other cultural form to render the Enlightenment genuinely democratic. Over the course of the century, they held over 2,300 separate contests on subjects ranging from the best way to light city streets to the origins of human inequality. Contestants submitted over 15,000 entries, most of which were judged blindly, allowing people from any background – including women and peasants – to enter and win. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a largely unknown and eccentric figure, when, at age 38, the Academy of Dijon proposed a contest on whether the reestablishment of the arts and sciences had led to a purification of morals. Boldly responding in the negative, in a thunderingly eloquent essay, Rousseau won, immediately catapulting himself to European fame, and jump-starting his career as one of the most important political philosophers in history. Some thirty-seven years later, an unknown priest from eastern France named Henri Grégoire won the contest of the Academy of Metz on how to make Jews happier and more useful to society. His essay, which insisted on the need to grant Jews full civil rights, led to their emancipation in the French Revolution, and started Grégoire himself on a prominent revolutionary career. This history makes me even more pleased to have been elected to the American Academy, and to be associated with the important work that you do. I look forward to taking part in your activities, and to being of service.

On a more personal note, I am also pleased because my father, Daniel Bell, was elected to the Academy in 1964, and later spent a decade as a scholar-in-residence there. Because of this connection, I was able to celebrate my own marriage at the Academy in Cambridge in 1993, and so I have particularly happy memories of your building and grounds.  

Yours Sincerely,

[signed]

David A. Bell

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

Thank you for your letter informing me of my election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a letter that came as such a surprise that I re-read and inspected it multiple times to convince myself it was real (yes, I am a scientist to the core, and surprising “facts” need verification!). I feel incredibly honored and humbled to be invited to join the Academy whose membership includes so many individuals who have influenced and inspired me in science and in life; I accept this invitation with great enthusiasm and humility, and look forward to being involved in the work of the Academy.

As a first-generation college graduate whose parents worked incredibly hard to raise eight children and send most of them to college, I wish my parents were still here so I could tell them of my election to an Academy whose members include the likes of Benjamin Franklin, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Albert Einstein! I am joyful on their behalf. Also enjoying this moment is my husband Will Broderick, who has partnered with me on our mutual scientific interests, and on raising our twin sons, over many years, as well as the research students and postdocs who have worked with us to explore the chemical processes fundamental to life.

I look forward to meeting you, and to participating in the important work of the Academy.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Joan B. Broderick

[photograph]
Broderick Research Group 2022

Transcription:

Dear Ms. Andrews and Mr. Oxtoby,

I stepped out onto my front porch this afternoon and found a thin, pristine envelope in my mail basket. In it was your letter informing me of my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Because I was not expecting it, the world seemed to hold its breath for a moment, as I processed what I held in my hands.

I thought of how, at a very young age, I felt my destiny was to be an actor. Not a star. Not a celebrity. Not even what is now known as an influencer, but an actor—an artist whose craft affords them the privilege of stepping into someone else’s shoes and looking at the world through someone else’s eyes. Acting, once described by Katherine Hepburn as—“this terrible profession, this terrifying profession”—has constantly tested my resolve and resilience, and still does to this day. At the same time, my craft has taught me the meaning of unconditional love, empathy, and forgiveness, on the way to finding the common humanity I share, with each character I have played, no matter how they are judged by the world.

And standing on my porch today, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for Edward O. Wilson, George B. Schaller, and Alan Rabinowitz, who I was blessed to call my friends and teachers. They gave me windows into the natural world and fed my curiosity about the interconnectivity of all life on this planet. They helped me put Homo Sapiens in perspective, as we move further into the Anthropocene, grievously continuing to put our planet in peril.

Thinking of all those who have helped me on my journey, I gratefully and humbly accept my membership in the Academy, while in awe of its Founders and members—past and present. I congratulate those who were elected alongside me this year and look forward to meeting them and other fellow members and learning from as many as possible, in the years to come.

Thank you.

With best wishes,

[signed]

Glenn Close

Transcription:

Dear Board Chair Andrews and President Oxtoby,

It is both an honor and privilege to accept my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. While this extraordinary recognition took me completely by surprise, I’m humbled knowing that my name is now added to the remarkable list of those who have come before me, and have been recognized for their commitment to advancing all of those endeavors that make our democracy so unique. Given recent developments in our country, the timing is not lost on me.

Mine has been a journey that started with very humble roots. I grew up in a poor, single-parent African-American household, raised by a courageous mother who was a victim of domestic violence. My five siblings and I owe her everything in terms of the values that we were imbued with at an early age--family, hard work, education, prayer and a commitment to helping others. Later on, good teachers and a classical education made all the difference as I prepared for my life’s work in public education making a difference in urban school systems, where the need is greatest.

As I view the list of current education honorees, I’m even more grateful for this recognition knowing that someone who has served as a superintendent of schools has now been added to this group of distinguished leaders. As you both know, public education in America is facing a crisis of confidence unlike anything that we've seen in decades. In my judgment, examining what we need to do to better prepare new leaders for that challenge has to be an important part of any post-pandemic agenda for our country.

I look forward to working with you and the other members of the Academy on the important work that we will be undertaking in the next few years to advance conversations about this and the other important challenges facing our country.

Yours truly, 

[signed]

Carl A. Cohn
Professor Emeritus/Research Fellow

Transcription:

Dear Nancy and David,

This is a lovely surprise. I’m delighted to accept your invitation, and I’m eager to participate among this distinguished group who is advancing the public good.

I love working on things in need of “fixing”. One of my fondest childhood memories is watching plumbers and electricians at work. They were heroes who performed magic around the house—summoning invisible electric currents, making water run with a wrench and sleight of hand. It was absolutely fascinating to watch, and the source of my inspiration to pursue science and invention, and to change things in need of fixing.

I never could have imagined that this joy would lead me to be elected into the Academy. One of my greatest areas of focus now is to give back to the next generation. I believe that every person—no matter who they are or where they are—can be an inventor. And I hope that many, like me, will come to find their own source of inspiration—even in the most unexpected places!

I look forward to collaborating with Academy members soon.

Sincerely,

Marian Croak 

Transcription:

I am deeply honored to have been elected as an International Honorary member of the highly prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences and I am grateful to my colleagues for the trust they have expressed in me.

It is a great privilege to be able to work in an institution whose constitution and activities highlight what I believe are the core principles that have driven my academic and research activities. First and foremost, I value the importance of dialogue within and across disciplines aimed at addressing the most pressing problems in our society. When working as a political scientist on issues as challenging as political violence or corruption, when thinking about ways to adapt democracies to changing contexts or improving the rights of citizens, I have always found it essential to cooperate across disciplinary boundaries. In the current environment, it would seem to me that this is more than ever the case, as on the one hand, the growth and specialization within fields of studies makes them more at risk of becoming overly self-referential, while on the other hand, we are presented with ever more complex and intersected crises that require collaboration across disciplinary divides. Making our knowledge relevant in addressing growing social injustice, the risks connected with climate change, violence against women, pandemics and wars—to mention only a few of our current challenges—also requires methodological pluralism and an openness to the cross-fertilization of theories that the American Academy of Arts and Sciences both fosters and encourages.

In this spirit, I consider it a privilege to be able to contribute to the core mission of advancing “the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.”

With best regards. 

[signed]

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Donatella della Porta

Transcription:

Dear Officers and Members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences –

I am deeply honored and humbled to hear of my election to membership in the Academy in the Anthropology and Archaeology section. Truly, I could not be more delighted to write this letter of acceptance. THANK YOU!

This honor is, in no small measure, due to the fact that I've been blessed throughout my career to have had wonderfully supportive and kind mentors, friends, and family encouraging, counseling, and looking out for me at every step. Likewise, I have been blessed to work with a host of brilliant, passionate students and colleagues who have helped me become a better scientist and scholar. Really, any academic successes I've had, I chalk up to being part of this large, inspiring community of fellow science-lovers.

So many people in this world do not have the opportunity to do what they love for a living – really, how many people get to call the Amazon rainforest, one of the most beautiful and diverse places on the planet, their "office" or get to spend their workdays following threads of intellectual curiosity about the lives of wild monkeys??? The privilege and good fortune I have enjoyed in being able to do so for close to three decades does not escape me for a second.

Thank you once again for welcoming me to the Academy. I look forward to being an engaged and active member for many years to come.

With best regards,

[signed]

Anthony Di Fiore, Ph.D.

Transcription:

To Mr. Oxtoby, Ms. Andrews, and Colleagues,

I have a love/hate relationship with accolades — if I receive one, what exactly does it mean? Am I a better person after the reception than I am before it? Are all the people who didn’t receive it less cool than me? Or am I the same? If I am the same, then what is the point of it all? My deep down and inextricable Southern demureness wants to go screaming for the hills when presented with some mark of favour, elevation or “hey you are pretty cool.” My natural egalitarian sense always points out all the folks doing even cooler stuff than me who are not being presented with such an award, trophy, certificate, or neato shiny honour. But in composing this letter I looked up the Oxford Languages (powered by Google) definition of the word “accolade” and there I found enlightenment. The first definition is ground we’ve just covered in the previous statements; it’s the second definition that really gets me excited.

accolade /ˈakəleɪd,ˌakəˈleɪd/ 2. a touch on a person's shoulders with a sword at the bestowing of a knighthood.

So, gentlepeople at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, I will accept this gracious nomination into your storied and noble ranks in the spirit of definition number two of the word accolade (early 17th century: from French, from Provençal acolada, literally ‘embrace around the neck (when bestowing knighthood)’, from Latin ad- ‘at, to’ + collum ‘neck’.), i.e., as a knight of the banjo, as a champion of unheard voices and hidden histories, and as a guardian of American personhood, to wit — those who have always been here and those who have come or been brought here are all representative of the American story.

I started in jest, but I end in deadly earnest — the claustrophobia of ignorance has only one remedy — the light and air of education and critical thinking. It is as dire as it has ever been — may we all play our part for a better world.

Thank you for my neck hug. Excited to receive my sword, my address is attached. 

[signed]

Rhiannon Giddens

Transcription:

Dear Professor Kohlstedt and Professor Santirocco:

I am deeply honored to have been elected to the Academy, an institution composed of truly inspiring people — to be classed in any way with the likes of Benjamin Franklin! — and gratefully accept your invitation.

I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors who came to Canada as penniless refugees. They taught me that compassion for others and service to the public good are obligations and they instilled in me their love and longing for education and knowledge. My career, in academia and government, has been built on those values, later reinforced by inspiring teachers and generous mentors. As a scholar of health policy, as a government appointee, and as the Dean of a school of public service, I have worked to ensure that public policies are developed, designed, and implemented to effectively improve the well-being of those most in need.

One of the best aspects of my career has been the opportunity to work across disciplines. I’ve written academic papers with scholars from many fields and I’ve worked on policy implementation with a diverse array of people whose experience and expertise were very different from my own. As my dissertation adviser predicted, I’ve thrived as a non-economist’s economist. The Academy was founded to foster just this kind of interdisciplinary collaboration and I look forward to working with and learning from the Academy's distinguished membership.

I look forward to meeting my new colleagues and contributing to the Academy's work.

Sincerely, 

[signed]

Sherry Glied

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

It is with deep humility that I accept membership into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Many years ago, as World War II was ending, my grandparents were forced to flee their home in Japanese-occupied Manchuria to return to their birthplace in PyongYang. Unsure of whether he would ever reunite with his family, my grandfather put my grandmother and his young daughter (my aunt) on a train that would carry them to safety. Bereft of his family, my grandfather planned to journey by foot across the border back into his homeland. He packed a bag of rice on his back, and stuffed whatever cash he could find into his pockets, travelling as lightly as possible. Yet, he found himself unable to leave behind a framed embroidery of a peacock (pictured above) that my grandmother had exquisitely crafted as a young student. He cracked the glass on the frame, cut out the embroidery, and rolled it up to carry in his pocket. It was the only thing he carried that was not essential. He made it across the border and reunited with his family in PyongYang, only later to become part of a generation of refugees from North Korea to South Korea during the Korean War.

As a child, when I asked my grandfather why he took the embroidery, he said it was to remind himself, even in the worst of times, that humans could create great beauty. The (re)framed peacock now hangs on the wall of our home in Baltimore, reminding us of the same. What a tremendous honor to be accepted into a learned society that has so long incubated the intellectual ideals and spirit of the collective good that undergirded my grandparents’ own struggle in their homeland—indeed, a learned society that reminds us that even in this turbulent world, we humans can create great beauty.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Hahrie Han

Transcription:

Dear Chair Andrews and President Oxtoby,

I am writing to gratefully accept your invitation to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

It is a great honor, evidenced by the fact that I have just completed my 79th letter of thanks to friends and colleagues who have written to offer their congratulations. Admittedly, one colleague wrote to say he was unaware of any accomplishments of mine in the arts. I was pleased to share with him an early self-portrait, one that I hope may now be appreciated should this replica grace your walls.

[photograph of self-portrait]

I look forward to the reception next year and the opportunity to experience the Academy’s traditions in celebrating human endeavors in all fields of inquiry and expression.

With gratitude,

[signed]

Richard Ivry

Transcription:

Dear Dr Andrews and Dr Oxtoby

Acceptance Letter

It is a great honour for me to receive the news of my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as an international honorary member. My journey in science, engineering, artificial intelligence, higher education, and the global world of academe has not been a linear path. I am foremost a scientist with a deep abiding realisation that the realities of our current world situation have brought to the fore, the fragilities of humankind, the overriding need for sustainable change in the face of climate change, poverty, wars and growing inequalities. T S Eliot wrote in Little Giddings: “We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring. Will be to arrive where we started. And know the place for the first time.” I believe that through exploring with moral intent and with social justice underpinning our explorations – the academic community can contribute to a world that will be a place of pride in generations to come. We must enter this period which can be a season of hope, regeneration and renewal. Restlessness and exploration must characterise our explorations as a significant percentage of our world are still in a quagmire of poverty. The Nigerian poet Ben Okri in his poem Mental Fight provokes us to explore the options available to us when confronted by challenges:

"Or might we choose to make
This time a waking-up event
A moment of world empowerment?
To pledge, in private, to be more aware
More playful, more tolerant and more fair
More responsible, more wild, more loving
Awake to our unsuspected powers, more amazing."

I choose to accept this honour and commit myself to making this a ‘waking-up event’. This is my pledge.

Most sincerely

[signed]

Professor Tshilidzi Marwala

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby:

I am beyond thrilled and profoundly humbled to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Upon receipt of your letter, I’m mindful of the contributions of those committed to the life of the mind. The scientists, artists, and thinkers who rush not to easy answers but to sustained reflection; the coalition of those who push not for quick affirmations but instead probe the doubts that trouble science; the union of seekers who skip the easy succor of soundbites fueling a 24-hour news cycle and dwell instead over the problems that plague our species and threaten our planet; the alliance of those who resist the basic binary of enemies and allies and foster instead empathy and compassion amongst all humankind. In short, these are the brave ones providing bold leadership in a time when our society needs it so desperately. I am honored to be counted among their esteemed company.

I’m reminded yet again of the prolific African American writer and theologian Howard Thurman, whose words have often been my guide:

Keep fresh before me the moments of my high resolve.

Despite the dullness and barrenness of the days that pass, if I search with due diligence, I can always find a deposit left by some former radiance.

This moment, my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, will forever be a deposit of radiance in my own commitment to the life of the mind.

False modesty does not befit such an occasion. I’ve been elected to this august body, I presume, because I’ve written and edited some books and served in various leadership positions at institutions of higher learning. I write today as the President of The New School, a position I began during the onset of a once in a millennium pandemic. I’d also like to think I’ve been elected for my service as a mentor and example of the limitless potential within each of us, regardless of our race, economic background, or sexual identity.

It is to the multitudes of America, those so often left out of the pursuit of learning, that I feel most responsible and will remain forever resolute. For these responsibilities, Thurman instructs us, foster and nurture our resolve:

Keep fresh before me the moments of my High Resolve, that in fair weather or in foul, in good times or in tempests, in the days when the darkness and the foe are nameless or familiar, I may not forget that to which my life is committed.

I am honored to accept membership to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Onward and upward, 

[signed]

Dwight A. McBride, PhD

Transcription:

Thank you for the honor of being elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. I gratefully accept your invitation to join this great institution. As an immigrant and later citizen, I have experienced the American experiment as a student, physician, scientist, teacher and academic leader. There have been a wide range of challenges, opportunities and triumphs. Many thanks to my family, friends, mentors, trainees and colleagues, for sharing their love, support and time. It’s been a fantastic journey.

In honor of my election, I would like to share my guiding philosophy highlighting four adinkra symbols from my native country, Ghana. I look forward to meeting and working with members and leaders of the Academy.

[transcriptions for images, left to right:]
“Nea onnim no sua a ohu”
One who does not know can know by learning
Knowledge

“Nyansapo”
Wisdom knot
Ingenuity
Intelligence

“Boa me na me boa wo” 
Help me to help you
Interdependence
Cooperation

“Akoben” 
War horn
Vigilance
Preparedness for action

Best wishes,

[signed]

Rexford S. Ahima, MD, PhD

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

I am beyond thrilled to have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. I enthusiastically accept membership. I’m awed to be in the company of so many people in the field of journalism and other vocations whose work has so deeply inspired mine.

Given the Academy’s mission to bring together leaders in fellowship “to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people,” this election is particularly meaningful to me. Throughout my decades-long journalism career, and especially with my more recent shift to opinion and solutions-focused journalism, this principle has been my lodestar. I was inspired to enter this field by the work of Ida B. Wells, who saw journalism as a way not simply to report facts and issues, but also to bring justice to where it is needed. “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them,” Wells wrote.

I believe journalism can do more than just bring injustices into better focus. It can serve to identify and explore workable solutions to inequalities and pressing societal problems. Such work can also underscore the fact that a more just world benefits everyone in it. To be honest, pursuing this work can sometimes feel futile, and often leads to discouragement – especially in the current political and cultural climate. But the fact that this work has been valued by my peers and honored by my election to the Academy fills me with pride and helps propel me forward.

I look forward to engaging with other members in furtherance of this important goal.

With sincere gratitude,

Kimberly Atkins Stohr 

Transcription:

As a teenager inspired by the 1969 first moon landing, I came alone from Hong Kong to America for science.

How wonderful was the cutting-edge undergraduate education that I received in Caltech! How my first taste of research in Caltech under Professor Pol Duwez, Father of Amorphous Metals, kept me excited for the next 50 years!

How nourishing were my graduate education and research in MIT under Professor Millie Dresselhaus, Queen of Carbon Science and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom!

My election into the American Academy of Arts and Science fills my heart with gratitude. Thanks to America – the best place for science.

Thanks to my parents for their love and provision. How proud I am for my mother, Rebecca Chan Chung 鍾陳可慰, who served as a Nurse in the Flying Tigers in World War II and received the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal! How proud I am for my father, Leslie Wah-Leung 鍾華亮, who was wounded in action as a Gunner in the World War II British Hong Kong force!

Most of all, thanks to God, who gives me wisdom and directs my research and life. To God be the glory!

Deborah Duen Ling Chung 鍾端玲

[signed]

Buffalo, NY, June 1, 2023 

[captions for photographs, clockwise from top left:]

Caltech student ID 1971

Mother on Hump flight (Flying Tigers), WWII, 1943

Father, wounded in action, Hong Kong, WWII, 1941

With M. Dresselhaus (MIT), Queen of Carbon Science, 2016

Holding thermal paste, U. Buffalo, 2003

Transcription:

Dear Chair Andrews and President Oxtoby,

Doing the work we love, and — while doing this — being able to support family, contribute to the sum of human knowledge, and to have a positive impact on others is a great blessing.

Being honored for this by our peers is icing on the cake. I accept this profound honor of election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences with humility and gratitude.

Sincerely

[signed]

Transcription:

Dear Chair Andrews and President Oxtoby,

I am extremely honored to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Academy has so many notable leaders that address important issues across the nation and around the world and I am now so humbled to be among them.

I have been fortunate and privileged to work for a national Native American nonprofit organization for 53 years that has been a leader in modern tribal sovereignty movement that has changed Indian country, the nation, and the world. My election to the Academy is recognition for the Native American Rights Fund, the national Indian legal defense fund, they have been providing legal advice and representation in most of the important federal Indian law issues during that time. It recognizes the great work of our legal staff, support staff, board of directors, clients, and funders.

I am so pleased at the Academy’s recognition of Native Americans and look forward to meeting Academy members and participating in the 2023 Induction in September. 

Sincerely,

[signed]

John E. Echohawk

Transcription:

Dear Madam Chair Andrews and Mr. President Oxtoby,

I am delighted to enthusiastically accept your invitation to join the Academy.

I accept this invitation thinking of the Anishinaabeg that came before me and those who will come later.

Mino-bimaadiziwin. Miigwetch.¹

Matthew L. M. Fletcher

¹ Loose translation: “The good life. Thank you.”

Transcription:

Dear Chairman Andrews and President Oxtoby:

Thank you for your invitation to become a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. I happily accept and am humbled and honored to be included in this prestigious 243-year-old organization of historical figures, scholars and many colleagues with whom I have worked and admired throughout my professional career.

As an educational psychologist and a teacher at every level of the educational continuum, my varied research interests have always been focused and conducted on issues that will have an impact on society-at-large and local communities in particular. Thus, whether it was a study or analysis of student suspensions and expulsions, alternative and urban schools, the declining numbers of teachers, African American male youth, higher education trends and challenges, Catholic universities and Historically Black colleges and universities, I have attempted to remain true to my promise by providing constructive solutions to those issues through my scholarship and academic and administrative roles at four universities. While it is pleasing to be recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for those contributions, I look forward to collaborating with other fellows in the Educational and Academic Leadership Section on topics of even greater importance.

Thank you again for selecting me as a member of this distinguished learning society.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Antoine M. Garibaldi

Transcription:

Dear colleagues in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,

Thank you for the great honor of my election to the Academy, which I am of course very happy to accept.

I am originally from Singapore, and trained as a Euromedievalist, but am largely known today for having developed the field of early critical race studies, and for founding the field of early global studies (also sometimes referred to as the Global Middle Ages).

Despite two-and-a-half decades of scholarship, lecturing, editing, teaching, outreach, and digital projects, however, my work in both these fields is still somewhat resisted by traditionalist constituencies in the academy that somehow still consider my work to be controversial. Established paradigms are hard to shift—even after five books—and, when you are not-white, not-male, and not-native-born, it is even harder to make headway in transforming old, inherited ways of thinking and understanding.

The greatest enthusiasm for my work has often come from junior members of the profession—students, early career researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and untenured assistant professors—who are excited to see that the histories and cultures of the deep past have immense importance for the contemporary present.

This is why the great honor of election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences matters hugely, and is so utterly important. This honor, conferred by the most distinguished and esteemed body in the land for arts and sciences, is a special kind of acknowledgment that the new work in race studies and global studies focusing on the deep past is of value.

Beyond the honor to me, therefore, this will go a long way toward ensuring that it will become easier and easier for the young people now undertaking the new work to win their awards and honors.

With deep appreciation, 

[signed]

Geraldine Heng

Transcription:

Dear Drs. Andrews and Oxtoby,

We live in extraordinary times, at once exhilarating because of the breathtaking pace of scientific discoveries that celebrate the best of humanity, but at the same time ominous because of global tensions created by the worst impulses of our nature. As a Chinese-American astronomer who for the past decade has been working in China to build a bridge to the western world, I have been crushed by the recent deterioration of relations between the two countries that I cherish.

I humbly and gratefully accept my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The noble ideals of the Academy inspire me to persevere, through my efforts in research, education, and service, to use science as a platform to promote larger societal goals.

Yours sincerely, 

[signed]

Luis C. Ho

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

It is with great pleasure and humility that I accept membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. I am truly honored to be recognized for my contributions in speech, natural language, vision, and intelligent services. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize many colleagues I have collaborated with over the decades to bring these transformative advancements in computer science to people around the globe.

Throughout my career, my unwavering mission has been to harness the power of AI to facilitate enhanced communication and collaboration among individuals worldwide. By breaking down language barriers we can foster greater understanding, peace, and prosperity for all of humanity. I am enclosing an example to illustrate this vision: on the left is my mission statement auto-translated to the UN’s six official languages; on the right is an auto-generated spectrum emulating my voice speaking these languages. I invite you to click on the spectrum to listen to my auto-translated voice. These technologies empower anyone to converse in hundreds of languages, bridging gaps and facilitating seamless and meaningful collaboration across diverse cultures. It is my aspiration that this will serve as a legacy, preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of people worldwide.

Arabic: لتمك ي التفاعلات السلسة والمعنوية ب ي الأشخاص من مختلف اللغات والخلفيات بدعم الذكاء
الاصطنا ع.

Chinese 通过人工智能使全球的人们交流更容易。

English: To enable seamless and meaningful interactions among people of different languages and backgrounds with the support of AI.

French: Permettre des interactions naturelles et intuitives entre des personnes de différentes langues et origines grâce au soutien de l'intelligence artificielle

Russian: Обеспечение беспрепятственного и смыслового взаимодействия между людьми разных языков и культур с поддержкой искусственного интеллекта.

Spanish: Facilitar interacciones fluidas y significativas entre personas de diferentes idiomas y orígenes con el apoyo de la inteligencia artificial.

I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to actively contribute to the Academy's mission and collaborate with fellow members to build a better world together. I express my sincere gratitude for this esteemed honor.

Yours sincerely,

[signed]

Xuedong D. Huang

Transcription:

When I latched on to Zora Neal Hurston’s “great journey to the horizons in search of people,” little did I realize that journey would lead me to being elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. And I am truly honored beyond any of the words I have accumulated on that journey. But what I know for sure is that I have so many to thank for this moment, for when I look back over my 60 -plus years of asking questions and writing there is no question that in my case I stand on the shoulder of giants…starting when I used to sit at my Grandmother’s knee everyday when she would hand me the comics while she read the other parts of the three newspapers that were a part of her busy daily ritual. And that’s where I got my first inspiration to take that great journey.

Yes, I latched on to the adventurous life of Brenda Starr who travelled the world in search of people to report on. And that’s when even at five years old, I decided that was the life I wanted. And amazingly, when I told my Mother, Althea that I wanted to grow up to be like Brenda Starr, well, her response bore no resemblance to our legal reality for these were still the days of segregation, of separate and definitely unequal… when our all Black school used to get the hand me down textbooks from the white schools, often with pages missing. But my Mother didn’t let that keep her from encouraging my young dream at the time, for what she said and how she said it, was all I needed to start my great journey to the horizons… for she didn’t tell me that wasn’t the dream a little Black girl should be dreaming, given the existing discriminatory laws. All she said, almost nonchalantly, was:

“If that’s what you wanna do.”

Then not long after that, I came upon another role model in my segregated Black school and whose history showed me the importance of finding my people people [sic] on that journey … people who had either not been found or who were not portrayed as they should have been: as full human beings, citizens of a country that had yet to recognize them in that way. And it was in Black segregated schools that I learned about Ida B. Wells, a pioneering Black journalist who used every tool she possessed to expose sexism, racism, and violence, primarily against people of color. Starting with those two women and women like my Mother and Grandmother who boarded a train where the people who looked like me had to sit in a separate car where they didn’t have access to food that the others were enjoying, but where they shared the fried chicken and biscuits and other delicious “Black“ food probably better than in the other cars. . And when we arrived in New York City, the people I found there spoke a lilting language I had never heard and played hopscotch , with the boxes drawn with white chalk, but on the paved Harlem street, unlike the red clay I played it on back home, but with the same youthful enthusiasm.

Yes, throughout my journey there have been people who offered me their shoulders to stand on and I found them all over the world. And it is to each and every one of them that I express my deepest appreciation, for I would not be in this wonderful, inspiring group of honorees without them. Yes, I happily stand, for sure, on the shoulders of giants who kept on keeping on to make this world a better place. And we must continue to make sure that our history continues to be taught to all, regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation… for no matter the age of the recipients, that history is armor that we all need for the current and coming conflicts. I am grateful to now stand with so many in this wonderful organization who also inspire me to keep on keepin on as they have... And my promise is to continue to underscore and strengthen that proud heritage on my great journey. Yes, as the PK that I am and was taught at an early age: God is good… ALL the time!

And I am deeply grateful to the Academy for giving me one more reason to say that.

Transcription:

Dear President Oxtoby,

Years ago, I gave a commencement speech in which I detailed the origin of the term “liberal arts.” The ancient Greeks, I explained, believed that the only way for a young person to grow up to be a truly free member of society, much less a fully realized human being, was to develop his or her mind through the study of a broad cross-section of higher-level thoughts, ideas, and principles. That’s why those Greek scholars chose the word “liberal” to define their new educational philosophy – because it shared the same root as their word for liberty.

Their word, in other words, for freedom.

I tell you this because I’ve just spent the past hour or so researching this amazing brother/sisterhood to which I found myself invited. And in doing so, I quickly came to the realization that it is, just maybe, the human equivalent of that one-time pillar of ancient Greek society. Your Academy of Arts and Sciences represents a veritable cross section of modern thought, theory, and human accomplishment.

More importantly, it offers the proverbial ten thousand points of light (and more than a glimmer of hope) to what can (let’s be honest) often be an unenlightened, dispassionate, and, at times, even cruel world. For that reason and others, I am deeply, deeply humbled to think you’d even consider me to be numbered among your ranks.

I accept this prestigious honor. And, of course, I look forward to doing whatever I can to make the experience as life-affirming for others as I will, no doubt, find it myself.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and God bless.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Sheila C. Johnson

Transcription:

Dear Dr. Andrews and Dr. Oxtoby,

I am deeply honored to accept your invitation to become an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As an African technology entrepreneur, I humbly accept this honor in recognition it is not for my work alone, but also that of my family and colleagues who together share the Vision that every African across the continent must enjoy access to 21st century technologies, skills, and opportunities.

It was my singular privilege this weekend to inform the young African entrepreneurs who I have been mentoring for almost a decade on a social media platform, that I had been elected to this esteemed Academy, joining so many women and men in history whom I have studied and held in highest regard, both those with roots in the African continent and from across the world.

I want to take this opportunity to express deep gratitude to my teachers, beginning with those who first taught me as a primary school student in Zambia where we had fled with my family from Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) when I was a young child. I reflect on the role of educators in the decades since then, and the Faith-filled journey leading me to this deeply appreciated commendation which I must admit took me completely by surprise.

I write today on the first of May, a month of seasonal transition, whether in the Northern Hemisphere or the South. It is a time when great tragedies are inflicting devastating loss and pain across so many communities and nations, and the world aches for transitions away from bloodshed, poverty, climate crisis, and hunger. It is also a time of great innovations, creations, and discoveries with the power to uplift humanity in myriad ways.

I pray that together with my fellow colleagues in the Academy, we will each and all, in our different fields, never cease to imagine and do our own part to enact a kinder, greener, and more equitably prosperous world for future generations.

Once again, my humble thanks to Dr. Andrews, Dr. Oxtoby, Academy officials, and those who nominated me. I look forward to meeting you and other Fellows in September.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Strive Masiyiwa

Transcription:

Dear Academy of Arts and Sciences,

It is with great humility and gratitude that I accept your invitation to join the Academy. As a lifelong student of the arts and sciences, I am honored to be recognized by such an esteemed institution.

To join the company of such a distinguished body of members, including Alexander Hamilton, is not lost on me. The history of this organization is a powerful reminder of the enduring legacy of creativity and innovation, and of the profound impact that the arts and sciences can have on our society.

I believe that art has the power to inspire, to educate, and to change hearts and minds. Through my work, I have used storytelling to explore the complexities of the human experience and to work toward creating a more just and equitable world. I am excited to join the Academy and to contribute to its mission of advancing knowledge and promoting excellence in the arts and sciences.

Thank you again for this incredible honor. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Academy members and to continuing the important work of creating art that can change the world.

Siempre,

Lin-Manuel Miranda 

[signed]