Sixteen faculty members in the Texas A&M University College of Arts and Sciences were recognized for their contributions to their fields and pursuit of academic excellence during the college’s inaugural investiture ceremony, held Thursday (Nov. 16) in the Memorial Student Center’s Bethancourt Ballroom.
The faculty, each of whom hold new and reappointed endowed chairs or professorships, all received a bronze medallion inscribed with the name of their endowment.
“Becoming an endowed chair or professorship holder carries with it a level of prestige that distinguishes you and your accomplishments,” Interim Dean Dr. Mark Zoran said to attendees. “It brings honor to you, the college and the university.”
The investiture ceremony, which comes from the Latin phrase “dress in robe,” has existed since the Middle Ages and symbolizes the quest for knowledge.
The event included remarks from Zoran and Dr. Alan Sams, executive vice provost for academic affairs and chief academic officer for Texas A&M.
New Chair Appointments
Dr. Alison R. Fout, Department of Chemistry
C.J. DAVIDSON CHAIR IN SCIENCE
Dr. Valen Johnson, Department of Statistics
GEORGE P. MITCHELL ’40 CHAIR IN STATISTICS
Chair Reappointments
Dr. Yalchin Efendiev, Department of Mathematics
RICHARD E. EWING EXXONMOBIL CHAIR IN COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE
Dr. John A. Gladysz, Department of Chemistry
DOW CHAIR IN CHEMICAL INVENTION
Dr. Jean-Luc Guermond, Department of Mathematics
RICHARD E. EWING EXXONMOBIL CHAIR IN COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE
Dr. Christopher Pope, Department of Physics & Astronomy
STEPHEN HAWKING CHAIR IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
Dr. Guoliang Yu, Department of Mathematics
THOMAS W. POWELL ’62 CHAIR IN MATHEMATICS
Dr. Hongbin Zhan, Department of Geology & Geophysics
DUDLEY J. HUGHES ’51 CHAIR IN GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS
Professorship Reappointments
Dr. José Luis Bermúdez, Department of Philosophy
SAMUEL RHEA GAMMON PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Judith S. Chester, Department of Geology & Geophysics
MOLLIE B. AND RICHARD A. WILLIFORD PROFESSORSHIP IN PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
Dr. Darren L. DePoy, Department of Physics & Astronomy
RACHAL-MITCHELL-HEEP ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN PHYSICS
Dr. Catherine C. Eckel, Department of Economics
SARA & JOHN LINDSEY PROFESSORSHIP
Dr. Ryan Ewing, Department of Geology & Geophysics
ROBERT R. BERG PROFESSORSHIP - GEOLOGY
Dr. Cemal Pulak, Department of Anthropology
FREDERICK R. MAYER PROFESSORSHIP IN NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Dr. Courtney Schumacher, Department of Atmospheric Sciences
E.D. BROCKETT PROFESSORSHIP - GEOSCIENCES
Dr. Alexei V. Sokolov, Department of Physics & Astronomy
STEPHEN E. HARRIS PROFESSORSHIP IN QUANTUM OPTICS