David Howard Reitze '79 was one of three University of Florida science professors to be named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), on Tuesday, Nov. 27.

Each year, hundreds of scientists nationwide are given the distinction of AAAS Fellow to recognize their efforts toward the social and scientific advancement. The AAAS, which began naming Fellows in 1874, seeks to "advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people," according to their mission  statement.

Reitze, a physics professor at the University of Florida, was recognized as a Fellow for his outstanding work at Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, where he discovered he first instance of gravitational waves.

Reitze and his colleagues, as well as the 416 other members who were honored as Fellows this year, will be presented with official certificates and rosette pins at the 2019 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Feb. 16, according to a University of Florida press release. In addition to being formally honored at the AAAS Annual Meeting, the names of all 2018 Fellows were formally announced in AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science on Nov. 29.