By Kenneth A. Stewart

NPS Department of Operations Research Distinguished Professor Patricia Jacobs has been named a fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her career accomplishments in applied probability and statistical methods supporting national security, as well as her accomplishments as a dedicated educator of future strategic leaders.

Jacobs was quick to thank her colleagues at NPS for providing her with a venue where she could pursue the academic interests that led to her recognition by the AAAS.

"I am grateful to NPS for providing the environment where I could achieve this honor. I would like to particularly thank my colleague Distinguished Professor Emeritus Donald Gaver.

"NPS is a very unique place. It's a place where students can come with problems of importance to the nation that can be addressed by students and faculty. That particular focus has been very important to my career here," continued Jacobs.

Distinguished Professor Peter Lewis was responsible for bringing Jacobs to NPS on a sabbatical from Stanford University, and she quickly found in NPS a place where she could have a direct impact on students, and on programs of import to DOD and the nation. Her sabbatical eventually became a distinguished career at the university, spanning over 30 years.

According to the AAAS, the association is the world's largest general scientific society. It was founded in 1848 and includes 254 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving some 10 million individuals. AAAS is well known for its award-winning journal, "Science" which the association claims has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general journal in the world with an estimated 1 million readers.