Pines elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Darryll J. Pines, UMD president and Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies, the institution announced Wednesday.

Pines is among 252 new members from academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research and science joining in 2026. His election—along with that of Janelle Wong, director of the Asian American Studies Program and a professor in the departments of Government and Politics and of American Studies—brings the total number of UMD faculty memberships in national academies to more than 110, including 29 in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

A stalwart of educational and academic leadership

Pines, who was recognized for educational and academic leadership, is a leading aerospace engineer as well as a prominent advocate for higher education. UMD’s president since 2020, he previously led the A. James Clark School of Engineering for 11 years as dean, and is the principal investigator for Engineering for Us All (e4usa), leading efforts to expand engineering education to new generations of high school students and teachers.

“At the University of Maryland we’re united by an unflagging determination to direct our research, scholarship, teaching and campus community life toward making the world a better place for all,” Pines said. "I have spent more than three decades at UMD, and I believe more than ever in the power and responsibility we have to help every student achieve their potential and serve as a progress machine for social impact, so I am incredibly honored to be recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.”

As president, Pines has emphasized excellence in all aspects of university life while supporting a diverse and multicultural community. Under his leadership, the University of Maryland instituted Fearlessly Forward, a strategic plan that commits the university to reimagining learning; taking on humanity’s grand challenges; investing in people and communities; and partnering to advance the public good.

He also spearheaded the creation of the Grand Challenges Grants Program, under which 50 university projects received $30 million in university-sponsored grants to study and implement solutions in areas such as sustainability, literacy, and food, energy and water security.

Leading UMD to its highest-ever ranking

This year, UMD achieved its highest-ever ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” lists: No. 16 among U.S. public institutions and No. 42 among national universities.

“It’s not surprising that President Pines was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,” said University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman. “Under his leadership, UMD has grown its already-impressive international prominence and has substantially advanced the academy’s work to address critical challenges facing our global society. Still, I can’t help but take pride in the fact that one of our own is placed alongside some of the country’s best-known thinkers and scholars, those making real and lasting change for the common good.”

A renowned aerospace engineering researcher and professor

Pines began his career at UMD as an aerospace engineering professor in the Clark School. During a leave of absence from UMD from 2003-06, he served as a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he initiated five new programs primarily related to aerospace technologies. He also held positions at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Chevron Corp. and Space Tethers. At LLNL, Pines worked on the Clementine spacecraft program, which discovered water near the south pole of the moon.

His research has focused broadly on structural dynamics, including structural health monitoring and prognosis; smart sensors; and adaptive, morphing and biologically inspired structures, as well as the guidance, navigation and control of aerospace vehicles. He holds seven co-authored patents with his students and collaborators.

Among his other recognitions, Pines is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Institute of Physics; he has served as co-chair of the National Academies’ Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable. He also received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the State of Maryland House of Delegates Speaker's Medallion.

This story was adapted from an article that appeared in Maryland Today on April 23, 2026.

Published April 24, 2026