The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has selected Stony Brook University Professor Heather Lynch as one of 12 researchers in the area of artificial intelligence (AI) to be a 2020-2021 AAAS Alan I. Leshner Leadership Institute Public Engagement Fellow. Lynch, Institute for Advanced Computational Science Endowed Chair for Ecology & Evolution, was chosen for having demonstrated leadership and excellence in her research career and for her interest in promoting meaningful dialogue between science and society. AI focuses on developing and studying machines and algorithms that augment or mimic human abilities, learn from and adjust to new situations, and perform tasks. As a quantitative ecologist whose research focuses on the population dynamics of Antarctic wildlife, Lynch uses AI to study penguins, among other species. "Communicating with the public about penguins is pretty easy, but explaining AI? That's quite a bit harder," said Lynch.