EUGENE, Ore. -- (Aug. 8, 2011) -- Dr. Denis Fred Simon, Vice Provost for International Affairs at the University of Oregon, has been invited to join the Board of Reviewing Editors by Science magazine.

Science, which is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of important issues related to the development of science.

Simon was selected to join the board because of his expertise on science, technology and innovation in China and East Asia.

"With the massive upsurge in new publications coming out of China's science and engineering community in recent years, more experts with deep China science and technology background are needed to review and evaluate articles that have been submitted for publication to Science magazine," said Simon.

Simon is a member of the U.S. Experts Group that is supporting the China-U.S. Innovation Dialogue organized by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In 2006, he was awarded the China National Friendship Award by the Chinese government, in recognition of his contributions to U.S.-China science and technology relations. The award is the highest granted by the Chinese government to a foreign expert.

As the UO's vice provost for international affairs, Simon is a key leader of the university's global engagement. He also provides leadership in campus-wide coordination of international efforts, alumni outreach and student recruitment, and fundraising and international entrepreneurial activity.

Simon received a bachelor's degree in Asian studies from the State University of New York in 1974, and a master's degree in Asian studies in 1975 and Ph.D. in political science in 1980 from the University of California at Berkeley.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.

MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

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