Lenore Blum, Distinguished Career Professor of Computer Science, and Dana S. Scott, Hillman Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Philosophy and Mathematical Logic, are members of the first class of Fellows named by the American Mathematical Society.

A total of 1,119 people representing more than 600 institutions, including six Carnegie Mellon University faculty members, are in this initial class of Fellows. Other fellows from CMU are Irene Fonseca, Alan Frieze, David Kinderlehrer and Walter Noll.

"We're proud that two of our computer science faculty have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics— Lenore Blum for her work on the complexity of programs that compute functions over real numbers, and Dana Scott for creating a mathematical framework for characterizing computer programs," said Randal E. Bryant, dean of the School of Computer Science.

The Fellows of the AMS designation recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics. Among the goals of the program are to create an enlarged class of mathematicians recognized by their peers as distinguished for their contributions to the profession and to honor excellence.

"The new AMS Fellows Program recognizes some of the most accomplished mathematicians—AMS members who have contributed to our understanding of deep and important mathematical questions, to applications throughout the scientific world, and to educational excellence," said Eric M. Friedlander, president of the 30,000-member AMS.