Pope names scholars, including American, to sciences academy

Published: 2003-10-30

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II named Kevin Ryan, founder of the Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character at Boston University's School of Education, to be a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Also named Oct. 30 to the prestigious body were a Japanese Nobel laureate in chemistry, a Chinese Nobel winner in physics, a Greek biologist who studies malaria and a Spanish biologist whose research focuses on genetics. The academy, which traces its roots back to 1603, includes about 80 scientists from around the world. The members, many of whom are Nobel winners, are chosen for their excellence in science and mathematics, not on the basis of their religious affiliation. Born in 1932, Ryan began his research in the field of education in the 1960s, focusing on moral education and the development of personality. He has written 18 books, including "Reclaiming Our Schools: A Handbook for Teaching Character."

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