Bartoshuk Named to NAS Governing Council

Last month, APS Secretary and Charter Member Linda Bartoshuk was elected to the National Academy of Science (NAS) Governing Council. NAS is made up of about 2,100 of the nation’s premier scientists and 380 foreign associates. Since being formed in 1863 under the signature of Abraham Lincoln, NAS has served as scientific advisors to policy makers in many disparate arenas and advocated for science to improve the general welfare. Simply being named a member of the organization is one of the highest honors a researcher can receive. Bartoshuk received that honor in 2003. The Governing Council oversees NAS and the National Research Council, operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering.

Best known for her work on supertasters, the one in four people with many more taste buds than the rest of us, Bartoshuk has built a career bridging psychology, chemistry, and genetics. Bartoshuk’s work has clear applications; Supertasters are more likely to experience oral pain and tasting ability affects diet, which has implications for a wide range of health issues.

Bartoshuk has also served as president of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences and the Eastern Psychological Association. She is also a member of the Society of Experimental Psychology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.