This text has been translated with the assistance of UiO GPT.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) was founded in 1863 under a congressional charter, with the purpose of "advising the nation on matters relating to science and technology".
On Wednesday 28th April, 120 new members were announced on the NAS website. They have been elected "in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research." Membership of the academy is widely regarded as one of the highest honours one can receive in academic life.
Karen O'Brien becomes one of nine members from Norway in total, alongside, among others, her faculty colleague Johan P. Olsen from ARENA, who has been a member since 2011. The wider membership list includes Nobel laureates, heads of state, and pioneering thinkers from across the globe.
A challenge and an honour
In 2025, O'Brien was elected to another distinguished academy: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
– Although my relationship with my home country, the US, is currently marked by difficulties, it will be fascinating to explore how membership of such an independent and historically significant institution might open up new opportunities for me to contribute and make a difference, the professor said at the time.