After fifty years of being a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Richard A. Diehl, UA archeologist, has been named an AAAS Fellow. There were 503 AAAS members who were elected as Fellows in December for their contribution to science and technology, according to the official website aaas.org.

“I was surprised, shocked and very pleased,” Diehl said. “It makes me feel good to know that people take the work that I’ve done seriously. I kind of knew that, but this is a good affirmation of it and I appreciate it very much. The other Fellows in the AAAS are people that I respect very much. To be in that group is an honor, it really is. I’m very happy about it.”

Diehl specializes in Mesoamerica, Mexico and Central America, and he started extensive research toward the end of his undergraduate career. Serving as a field director on an archeological project through Yale University, Diehl helped to discover 13 Olmec monuments.

“One of the most spectacular discoveries I ever made was an Olmec colossal head,” Diehl said. “When I was working at Tula my project was designed to excavate houses that just ordinary people lived in. I think that’s one of the major contributions that we’ve made, trying to figure out how ordinary people lived in ancient cities.”

Michael Murphy, archeology department chair, said, “Along the way Diehl has developed into one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Olmec civilization and he’s also done great work on the Toltec and on this big site called Teotihuacan, which is one of the premiere archeological sites in the world,” he said.

“He’s basically regarded as one of the top authorities on the Olmec particularly…he has served as consultant inferior for the National Museum of Art and the Metropolitan museum of art, it doesn’t get more prestigious than that,” Murphy said.

Diehl later published a book titled The Olmecs: America’s First Civilization about the Olmec.

As reported in Research Magazine, Diehl was one of four scholars who chose the Olmec artifacts that were moved from Mexico to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. for an exhibit he co-coordinated.

Diehl’s work has not been overlooked and his peers have acknowledged his efforts with the ranking of Fellow. Following the official presentation of the honor, Diehl will be one of four AAAS Fellows at the University and one of 22 statewide.

“Essentially, what the AAAS does is recognize great achievement in scientific scholarship. Dick was one of eight out of 20,000 certified anthropologists who won the honor. He’s done a lot for the University of Alabama not just in terms of his scholarship,” Murphy said.

Fellows can be nominated three different ways: by the Steering Groups of the Associations 24 sections, by three Fellows who are current AAAS members with two sponsors unaffiliated with the nominee’s institutions, or by the Chief Executive Officer.

Diehl completed all of his educational endeavors in his home state of Pennsylvania at Penn State University. After a career as a professor at the University of Missouri, Diehl became chair of the anthropology department at the University. After years of holding esteemed positions at numerous locations, Diehl retired from the University in 2006. He currently teaches one class a year, while staying involved in other archeological endeavors.

Diehl and the other new Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin on Feb. 19 during the 2011 AAAS Annual Meeting in D.C.