Auburn University entomologist Arthur Appel, who most recently served as interim dean of the College of Agriculture and interim director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, has been recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his contributions to scientific innovation, education and leadership.
Appel, who is affiliated with the organization’s section on agriculture, food and renewable resources, was elected to the society’s class of 2015 fellows, but he and the 346 other new 2015 fellows were formally honored during the association’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in February.
The international nonprofit organization was founded in 1848 and today is the world’s largest scientific society. It is dedicated to advancing science, engineering and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people. Its tradition of electing fellows began in 1874 as a way of recognizing members for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to further science or its applications.
Appel is a University of California at Los Angeles alumnus with a B.A. in biology and holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in urban entomology from the University of California at Riverside. He joined the College of Agriculture faculty in 1985 and served as chair of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology from 2005 to 2013, when he was named interim associate dean for research in the college and interim assistant director of the AAES. He served as interim dean and director from July 2015 to February 2016.
His research interests are the control of urban insects, insect biology and insect physiology and ecology.
