Originally published December 2004 | ||
 | ||
Similar American men of science, English men of science, Women scientists in America, Dictionary of American, International Who's Who | ||
In publication for 100 years, American Men and Women of Science (33rd edition, published 2015) is a biographical reference on leading scientists in the United States and Canada published as a series of books and online by Gale, a unit of Cengage Learning.
Background
First compiled as American Men of Science by J. McKeen Cattell in 1906 and, as of 2014, the book has published 32 editions in its 108-year history. In 1971, its name was changed from American Men of Science to American Men and Women of Science.
A reviewer for Booklist described American Men and Women of Science as the "Cadillac of scientific biography". In 2010, WorldTrade Review Essays of Academic, Professional & Technical Books in the Humanities & Sciences wrote that American Men and Women of Science "... remains without peer as a chronicle of scientific endeavor and achievement in the United States and Canada."
The most recent project editor for the 34th edition planned for 2016 is Tracie Moy. Recent Advisory Board members include James E. Bobick, Former Department Head, Science and Technology Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; K. Lee Lerner (scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner); and David A. Tyckoson, Associate Dean, Henry Madden Library, California State University, Fresno.
[AMWS] profiles living persons in the physical and biological fields, as well as public health scientists, engineers, mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists. According to the publisher, those included met the following criteria: (1) Distinguished achievement, by reason of experience, training or accomplishment, including contributions to literature, coupled with continuing activity in scientific work; or (2) Research activity of high quality in science as evidenced by publication in reputable scientific journals; or, (3) for those whose work cannot be published due to governmental or industrial security, research activity of high quality in science as evidenced by the judgment of the individual's peers; or (4) Attainment of a position of substantial responsibility requiring scientific training and experience.
Scientists who are not citizens of the United States or Canada are included if a significant portion of their work was performed in North America.