Assistant Professor Selected for Prestigious National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science Symposia
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has named Dr. Malini Roy, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, as one of eighty-one of the nation’s most promising young researchers chosen to participate in the National Academy of Sciences’ 2026 U.S. and International Frontiers of Science Symposia. This honor places her among a select group of scientists under 45 recognized for exceptional research contributions across disciplines ranging from engineering and climate science to space science and public policy.
The Frontiers of Science symposia, a three-day, invitation-only gathering, serves as one of the Academy’s most influential platforms for interdisciplinary exchange. According to the NAS, more than 7,000 young scientists have participated, including 374 who later became NAS members and 22 future Nobel Prize recipients. The 2026 U.S. symposium will be held on March 5–7 at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering in Irvine, California.
For Dr. Roy, the selection is both energizing and deeply meaningful.
“I am very honored and energized to have been chosen for the symposium,” she said. “My prime objective of research has always been to help communities better prepare for and avoid hazards. This recognition tells me that hazard and disaster preparedness continues to be an important and urgent scientific concern.”
Dr. Roy believes her interdisciplinary work played a key role in her selection. Her research bridges multi-hazard planning and policy, connecting meteorologists, climate scientists, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen community resilience. Her collaborative models have gained increasing recognition for translating scientific insights into actionable strategies to reduce risk.
Looking ahead to the symposium, Dr. Roy is especially excited about the opportunity to engage with scientists far outside her own field.
“I am most excited to meet experts from widely different disciplines, such as space sciences,” she said. “Fellows of the National Academies of Sciences are leaders of scientific thought. The symposia offer a unique opportunity to interact with Fellows and hear about their work. I will be able to reflect on potential synergies and enrich my understanding of complex issues, ultimately helping me to formulate better policies for effective management of multi-hazard risks.”
She also emphasized the importance of bringing new insights back to her colleagues and students to strengthen connections across scientific fields. Dr. Roy expects the experience to shape her long-term research trajectory as well. “I believe I will develop the vocabulary and framework for collaborating with the wider scientific community at UTA and beyond,” she noted. “It will enable me to create more scientifically robust research on hazards.”
Her selection underscores the growing national recognition of her contributions to hazard mitigation and community resilience, fields that are increasingly crucial as climate-induced risks intensify. As she prepares to join the 2026 cohort of Frontiers of Science Fellows, Dr. Roy stands poised to expand both her research impact and her interdisciplinary reach.