Debra Harry, Ph.D., associate professor in Indigenous Studies in the College of Liberal Arts’ Department of Gender, Race, and Identity, has been inducted into the , in recognition of her decades-long leadership on biocolonialism, as well as her academic achievements, community mobilization and international vision within global Indigenous peoples' struggles.
Harry is the second person in Nevada to be inducted into this prestigious Academy, marking a significant milestone for the ҹɫÊÓƵ and representing the impact and power of a liberal arts education.
“Historically marginalized and silenced, Indigenous voices remain vital to our collective future,” Harry said. “My work seeks to center the ancestral knowledge and wisdom necessary to cultivate a more balanced, sustainable world. I am truly humbled by this award, recognizing that my contributions are built upon the profound legacy of Indigenous wisdom keepers and visionaries whose work informs my own.”
Harry's 2026 induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences places her among a distinguished cohort of 252 scholars, artists, scientists and public leaders whose work has shaped critical conversations across disciplines. This year’s class of honorees includes actor and filmmaker Jodie Foster, author Barbara Kingsolver, author Colson Whitehead and others. The honor reflects individual scholarly excellence and sustained contributions that influence public understanding and policy at national and global levels.
In a rigorous review process, the Academy examined the depth and breadth of Harry’s work that focuses on awareness and capacity building with Indigenous Peoples worldwide, so they may make informed decisions on these rapidly developing fields from their own cultural and knowledge frameworks. Conversely, her work also brought Indigenous perspectives and wisdom to the fields of genetics and ancillary issues, including research ethics, intellectual property rights and global governance.
“We celebrate the achievement of each new member and the collective breadth and depth of their excellence – this is a fitting commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Academy President Laurie Patton. “The founding of the nation and the Academy are rooted in the inextricable links between a vibrant democracy, the free pursuit of knowledge, and the expansion of the public good.”
Dean Isabelli of the College of Liberal Arts emphasized the significance of this achievement.
"Dr. Debra Harry’s election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is a remarkable honor that reflects the national and international impact of her scholarship and leadership as executive director of the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism. Through her work supporting Indigenous communities in protecting genetic resources, knowledge and cultural and human rights, she exemplifies the very best of the liberal arts. This recognition celebrates her groundbreaking contributions while elevating the College of Liberal Arts and the ҹɫÊÓƵ, highlighting the strength of our faculty on a national stage. We are proud to celebrate this extraordinary achievement," Isabelli said.
Harry joins the esteemed group of previous Academy members elected before her, including Benjamin Franklin (elected 1781) and Alexander Hamilton (1791) in the eighteenth century; Ralph Waldo Emerson (1864), Maria Mitchell (1848), and Charles Darwin (1874) in the nineteenth; Albert Einstein (1924), Robert Frost (1931), Margaret Mead (1948), Milton Friedman (1959), Martin Luther King, Jr. (1966), and Jacques Derrida (1985) in the twentieth; and, in this century, Madeleine K. Albright (2001), Antonin Scalia (2003), Jennifer Doudna (2003), Esther Duflo (2009), John Legend (2017), Anna Deavere Smith (2019), Salman Rushdie (2022), Xuedong Huang (2023), and José Andrés (2025).
Induction ceremonies for new members will take place in October 2026 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
We once again extend our heartfelt congratulations to Debra Harry on this outstanding achievement.
