Searches begin for two Presidential Endowed Chairs in health-related fields

Last fall, President Alice P. Gast announced new investments in endowed graduate fellowships, along with innovation grants and core competency grants, to begin working toward the goals in the university’s strategic plan.

In addition, Gast established Presidential Endowed Chairs in health-related fields. A $3-million endowment was established for each of two new professorships in these areas: sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities.

The search committees for these two Presidential Endowed Chairs have recently met and begun searches to fill both positions. The searches will be conducted across college and department lines, with a focus on talent and leadership in these health areas.

George DuPaul, department chair of education and human services and professor of school psychology, and Judith Lasker, department chair and N.E.H. Distinguished Professor of sociology and anthropology, are cochairing the search committee for the Presidential Endowed Chair: Professorship in Health-related Social Sciences and Humanities. Others serving on that committee are:

  • Grace Caskie, Frank Hook Assistant Professor of counseling psychology
  • Mary Beth Deily, professor of economics and director of the M.S. program in Health and Biopharmaceutical Economics
  • Beth Dolan, associate professor of English and director of the Health, Medicine and Society Program
  • Diane Hyland, department chair and professor of psychology
  • Laura Olson, professor of political science
  • Lloyd Steffen, university chaplain, professor of religion studies and director of the Center for Dialogue, Ethics and Spirituality

Filbert Bartoli, department chair and Chandler Weaver Chair and Professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Lynne Cassimeris, professor of biological sciences, are cochairing the search committee for the Presidential Endowed Chair: Professorship in Health-related Sciences and Engineering. Others serving on that committee are:

  • Ned Heindel, Howard S. Bunn Professor of chemistry
  • Anand Jagota, professor of chemical engineering and director of the Bioengineering and Life Sciences Program
  • Himanshu Jain, Theodore L. Diamond Distinguished Chair in engineering and applied science, professor of materials science and engineering, and director of the International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass
  • Linda Lowe-Krentz, professor of biological sciences
  • Svetlana Tatic-Lucic, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering
  • Tamás Terlaky, department chair and George N. and Soteria Kledaras ‘87 Endowed Chair and Professor of industrial and systems engineering
  • Dimitrios Vavylonis, assistant professor of physics

The search committees are seeking nominations for internal and external candidates for these endowed professorships and welcome your input. Nominations can be made here or here.