Formed in 1863, the NAS is dedicated to advising the US government on any matter of science and technology. The organization elected 72 new members and 15 foreign associates April 30, bringing the total active membership to 2,237. The newly elected members, though unsure of their new responsibilities, are eager to begin lending their services to the academy.
Already a member of the British equivalent to NAS, the Royal Society of London, Vernon Martin Ingram, professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is also not completely aware of the academy's role in shaping science policy, but he hopes to assist in the ongoing formulation. "This is a very good collection of scientists. ... I hope the government listens to the opinions of my colleagues," he says.
"I (also) haven't paid that much attention to what they do, [as] I've usually been pretty focused on my research," says Vicki Chandler, ...
