Though he was recently recognized as someone with an IQ in the top two percent in the world, an SIUC professor admits there are probably people who are more intelligent.

For every article that runs on this sort of thing, there are probably 20 other people out there just as intelligent, right here at SIUC, C.A. Rawlings said.

Rawlings said he is not only a member of Mensa, a worldwide society for people who have demonstrated an IQ in the upper two percent of the world, but has recently been elected to the Board of Trustees for the Mensa Education and Research Foundation.

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The Foundation, known as MERF, is a fundraising foundation for Mensa, Rawlings, who was inducted into the organization in January, said.

He also said he wants to remind people that there are many other ways to determine intelligence.

If IQ tests are really valid, then I guess I do deserve to be in this organization. However, there are so many other ways to judge intelligence he said.

MERF promotes research on intelligence for Mensa members. The foundation also awards scholarships, funds for research and screens applications for studies of Mensa members and gives awards for excellence in research.

Rawlings said part of his job is evaluating and reviewing the research papers for the awards.

MERF headquarters sends me all the papers that compete, and then I review them, he said. This year there are 55 different papers.

Rawlings, who has been teaching at SIUC for 31 years, is a biomedical engineer with a background in physiology and electrical engineering.

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At SIUC, he teaches courses in instrumentation and clinical measurements.

He said that even though being on the Board of Trustees for MERF is a personal decision, he is glad that it reflects positively on the University.

It goes to show the outside that we’re not dumb at this University, Rawlings said.

Juh Wah Chen, dean of the College of Engineering, said he is very proud of Rawlings.

Dr. Rawlings is very intelligent as well as very experienced, Chen said. This is well-deserved because he is innovative and energetic with his work.

Rawlings said being on the board of MERF is a great experience for him and hopefully, his students.

It can be fun, he said. I think my training may be helpful to the students.

Joyce Lundeen, a Mensa member from Oklahoma, said Rawlings is a perfect example for MERF.

Dr. Rawlings is a perfect Mensa/MERF member, she said. He is not only intelligent, but excellent in helping people discover their own intelligence away from IQ.