2 ASU professors elected to prestigious National Academy of Sciences
Amber Wutich and Robert Page known for influential research in water insecurity and the behavior of social insects, respectively

By Joe Caspermeyer, ASU News
May 1, 2026

Two professors from Arizona State University have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors awarded to scientists in the United States.

The academy announced this week that 120 new members and 25 international members were selected for 2026, recognizing “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”

Among the newly elected members are ASU’s Robert E. Page Jr. and Amber Wutich, both widely recognized for influential, cross-disciplinary research that has shaped their fields.

Membership in the National Academy of Sciences is widely considered one of the top honors in science, with members elected by their peers for exceptional contributions.

“Amber and Rob are deeply respected scholars and educators at ASU, recognized as leaders in their fields and true stewards of the ASU Charter,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost.

“They advance discovery at the highest levels while ensuring their work delivers meaningful impact in the world. Their election to the National Academy of Sciences is a well-deserved recognition of their extraordinary contributions and reflects the caliber of faculty who define ASU as a leading research institution committed to excellence, innovation and public value.”

Leaders in life sciences and water insecurity

Page, provost emeritus and University Professor in ASU’s School of Life Sciences, is an internationally recognized expert in evolutionary biology and the behavior of social insects, particularly honeybees. His research has advanced understanding of genetics, social organization and the evolution of complex behaviors in insect societies.

Using the honeybee as a model, Page has dissected their complex foraging division of labor at all levels of biological organization from gene networks to complex social interactions.

Wutich is a Regents Professor, President’s Professor, director of the Center for Global Health in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at ASU and a MacArthur Fellow.

Her research focuses on water insecurity, global health and human adaptation to environmental stress. Wutich directs the Global Ethnohydrology Study, a cross-cultural study of water knowledge and management in 20-plus countries. Her work has influenced both academic research and real-world policy in vulnerable communities worldwide.

Elevating ASU’s national research profile

Their election adds to a growing roster of ASU faculty who have been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences, reflecting the university’s faculty excellence achievements across disciplines.

The 2026 class further strengthens ASU’s position as a major contributor to high-impact research and innovation, particularly in areas addressing complex global challenges.

Election to the academy places Page and Wutich among an elite group of scientists charged with advancing knowledge and advising the nation on critical scientific issues. The National Academy of Sciences was founded in 1863 under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and — along with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine — it serves as a key advisor to the federal government on matters of science, engineering and health.

Related

Amber Wutich is now one of seven members of the faculty at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences — the most members of any anthropology program in the country

School of Life Sciences founding director elected to National Academy of Sciences

This story originally appeared on ASU News.