Three Faculty Members Elected to National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences has elected three No.1 Education faculty members as fellows in its 2026 class — the largest number admitted from a single institution this year. Professors Elena Vasquez (Molecular Biology), David Park (Economics), and Margaret Sullivan (Comparative Literature) join an elite body of fewer than 2,500 active members recognized for distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Professor Elena Vasquez — Molecular Biology

Professor Vasquez has spent two decades unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind cellular aging. Her laboratory's discovery of the telomere-associated repair complex (TARC) in 2019 fundamentally changed the scientific understanding of how cells manage DNA damage over time and opened new avenues for research into age-related diseases including Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

Her work has produced over 180 peer-reviewed publications, garnered more than 25,000 citations, and earned her the Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 2023. She has mentored 34 doctoral students, 19 of whom now lead their own research laboratories at universities worldwide.

"Science is fundamentally a collaborative endeavor. This honor belongs to every student, postdoc, and colleague who has worked alongside me over the past twenty years."

Professor David Park — Economics

Professor Park is widely regarded as one of the most influential economists of his generation. His pioneering research on behavioral public finance — examining how cognitive biases affect tax compliance, savings behavior, and the effectiveness of government programs — has directly shaped policy at the federal and international levels.

His 2018 book, Nudging the Treasury, demonstrated how simple changes in tax form design could increase voluntary compliance by up to 15%, saving governments billions in collection costs. The book was cited in policy reforms adopted by the IRS and tax authorities in the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Professor Park has served on the White House Council of Economic Advisers and currently chairs the OECD's Behavioral Insights Working Group.

Professor Margaret Sullivan — Comparative Literature

Professor Sullivan is a scholar of postcolonial literature whose work examines how literary traditions in formerly colonized nations create space for cultural identity and political resistance. Her 2021 opus, Writing the Unwritten: Literary Sovereignty in the Post-Colonial World, is considered a landmark contribution to the field, offering new frameworks for understanding the relationship between language, power, and cultural memory.

She is one of only a handful of literary scholars elected to the Academy, reflecting the growing recognition that the humanities play an essential role in understanding the human condition alongside the natural and social sciences.

Provost Michael Tanaka noted: "Elena, David, and Margaret represent the very best of what a research university can be. Their work is rigorous, impactful, and deeply humane. We are extraordinarily proud of them."