Martin Gilens, professor of public policy, political science and social welfare at UCLA, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors in the scientific community. NAS membership is awarded to scholars in recognition of distinguished and continuing achievements in original research and is widely regarded as a mark of excellence across academic disciplines.

The National Academy of Sciences, established in 1863 under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln, elects members annually for their significant contributions to science and scholarship. Election reflects sustained impact in advancing knowledge and shaping research in one’s field.

Gilens is a leading scholar of American politics and public policy, widely recognized for his research on inequality, public opinion, and democratic responsiveness. His work has shaped contemporary understanding of how policy outcomes reflect—or diverge from—the preferences of citizens across socioeconomic groups.

Gilens earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and has held fellowships at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and the Russell Sage Foundation. Before joining UCLA in 2018, he held faculty appointments at Yale and Princeton Universities.