School of Public Policy Dean Pete Peterson Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences announced the election of its 2026 members, among them Pepperdine University’s inaugural member, Pete Peterson.
Peterson is among 252 leaders in academia, the arts, science industry, journalism, philanthropy, and policy chosen for membership this year. Peterson was elected in the “Leadership, Policy, and Communications” category.
The academy is one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished honorary societies and independent policy research centers. Prior to his election to membership, Peterson served on the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship—a bipartisan group of scholars and policymakers proposing political reform measures at the state and national levels. The Commission’s report, “Our Common Purpose” was published in 2020, and continues to guide its work through legislative presentations and opinion writing.
“We celebrate the achievement of each new member and the collective breadth and depth of their excellence—this is a fitting commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Academy President Laurie Patton in their announcement release. “The founding of the nation and the Academy are rooted in the inextricable links between a vibrant democracy, the free pursuit of knowledge, and the expansion of the public good.”
Founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and 60 other early-American scholars, the academy convenes leaders and experts in academia to address important contemporary issues informing national and global policy in service of the public good.
“It is a great honor to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in this year of celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary, ” says Peterson. “For more than two centuries, the academy has brought together leading minds to address society’s most enduring concerns. I look forward to contributing to that work alongside colleagues committed to thoughtful and virtuous public service.”
Each year new members spanning disciplines of science, policy, business, and the arts are considered by nomination and elected upon rigorous evaluation. Notable figures from previous generations include Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., and poet T. S. Eliot, in addition to its first inductee, George Washington.
Current members will support the academy’s discourse by attending conferences, meetings, and symposia, while advising on initiatives spanning social policy, education, government, and the humanities. Opportunities to conduct research through participation in studies and commissions are also available.
A leading national speaker and writer on issues related to civic participation, higher education, and local politics, Peterson serves as dean and Braun Family Dean’s Chair of the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, where he also acts as a senior fellow of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership. Through the institute, Peterson continues to train municipal officials in leadership skills, and improving public meetings. Previously he was a public affairs fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Peterson has widely authored pieces on public engagement for a variety of major news outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will be holding an official induction ceremony this October.