2022 RNA Society Award for Excellence in Inclusive Leadership
Posted on January 29, 2022

Dr. Anita Corbett is the Samuel C. Dobbs Professor in the Department of Biology at Emory University, where she has been a faculty member since 1997. Anita received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Colgate University and Ph.D. from the Vanderbilt University. Professor Corbett is well known for her long and prestigious research career in RNA biology and for her commitment in training the next generation of scientists. In addition to mentoring over 25 Ph.D. students and 100 undergraduate and high school students, Dr. Corbett leads various training programs and is dedicated to recruiting students from historically excluded and underrepresented groups for research and scientific opportunities. She has devoted herself to teaching students at all levels of their training and promoting a nurturing academic environment for students from various background. She has led numerous webinars and panels at conferences aimed at enhancing diversity, published articles on mentoring of students and junior faculty, and has been particularly active in the RNA Society (currently serving as a Director). In addition to this year’s award by the RNA Society, Dr. Corbett has been bestowed the inaugural Eleanor Main Award for Graduate Mentoring from Emory University, the 2018 Nature Award for Mentoring in Science, the 2020 American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Mid-Career Leadership Award, and the President’s Volunteer Service Award by President Barack Obama for service to the African Research Academies for Women.