George Helz Named 2020 AAAS Fellow
Four faculty members in the University of Maryland’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences have been named 2020 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Charles Delwiche, George Helz, William Lau and William Regli. Helz is a professor emeritus in UMD’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Department of Geology. He is being recognized for “outstanding research, leadership, innovation, teaching and service to the community in aqueous and environmental geochemistry.”
AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society, and election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.
New Fellows were formally announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of Science on November 24, 2020. A virtual induction ceremony for the 489 newly elected Fellows will take place following the 2021 AAAS annual meeting in February.
Helz's early research focused on water disinfection chemistry, trace metal chemistry in sulfidic waters and Chesapeake Bay geochemistry. More recently, he has worked on geochemical indicators that characterize ancient environments with the goal of improving the scientific understanding of the evolution of life.
“It is very nice to think that someone out there has appreciated my work,” Helz said of being named an AAAS Fellow. “Although long-retired, I continue to pursue and publish research, and perhaps this award will inspire others to continue with theirs.”
Helz joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1970, rose through the ranks and retired from the department in 2005. Among the many positions he held during his tenure, Helz was the director of the Maryland Water Resources Research Center from 1990 to 2001. He served as the chair of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Geochemistry and the president of the Geological Society of Washington. He was a member of the Chesapeake Research Consortium’s board of trustees and he served on the National Science Foundation steering committee for a workshop to design an environmental biogeochemistry program.
In 2004, Helz was awarded “rainmaker” status by the UMD Vice President for Research for securing major contract and grant support.
Helz earned his bachelor’s degree in geology and chemistry from Princeton University in 1964 and his Ph.D. in geochemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1971.
To read the full press release, visit https://cmns.umd.edu/news-events/features/4702.
