Joanna Fowler
Dr. Joanna Fowler, senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, was one
of nine scientists named as recipients of the National Medal of Science in a
ceremony on October 7th at the Whitehouse. Award recipients were selected by
the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Fowler earned a BA in Chemistry from USF in 1964, then a Ph.D. from the
University of Colorado (1967), followed by postdoctoral research at the
University of East Anglia and at Brookhaven. She is also an adjunct professor
in the Department Chemistry and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at
SUNY-Stony Brook.
She and her husband (Dr. Frank W. Fowler, BA, USF 1964) were named outstanding
alumni by the Department of Chemistry (1994), and both served as Martin
Lecturers in successive years.
In 2003, Dr. Joanna Fowler was elected to the National Academy of Sciences,
believed to be the first USF alumna to be elected.
Her scientific achievements and the excellence of her research have led to
several prestigious awards. These include the ACS's Fancis P. Garvin-John
Olin Award (1998), the Department of Energy's E. O. Lawrence Award (1999),
and the Society of Nuclear Imaging in Drug Development's Alfred P. Wolf
Award (2000).
In her seminar here, she described the development of radiotracers to map an
enzyme (MAO) in the brain (PET imaging studies). Her studies demonstrated
that smokers have reduced concentrations of monoamine oxidase (MAO). The
studies have made it possible to have a better understanding of the
characteristics of addictions (smoking and drug addiction).
We are impressed by her achievements and delighted by the latest recognition
of this outstanding alumna
Joanna Fowler recieves the National Medal of Science