The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is pleased to announce Dr. Amanda Townley as the winner of its 2026 Innovative Leadership Award. The Innovative Leadership Award recognizes commendable innovative leadership in the biological sciences community.
“Dr. Amanda Townley exemplifies the best of science advocacy and education,” said Scott Glisson, CEO of AIBS. “Her tireless work to connect science with society, support educators, and strengthen science literacy nationwide makes her a deserving recipient of this honor. We are delighted to celebrate her leadership and her many contributions to our community.”
Dr. Amanda L. Townley is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), which she has led since 2023. An award-winning researcher and advocate, she specializes in science teacher education, evolution education research, and public outreach focused on science literacy. Before joining NCSE, Townley was an associate professor of middle grades and secondary science education at Georgia Southern University, where her research examined where science meets society, including how people accept or reject evolution and climate change, how the nature of science is misread and misused by anti-science movements, and how perceived conflicts between science and culture affect science literacy. She currently serves as president of the Association for Science Teacher Education and is a past president of the National Association of Biology Teachers. A longtime champion of “hands-on, minds-on” teaching, Townley works to ensure science is taught accurately and comprehensively at every level, across the United States.