Ten Michigan State University faculty have been named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their outstanding achievements in teaching, research and public service.
The designations were recommended by Interim Provost Thomas D. Jeitschko, Ph.D., and President Kevin Guskiewicz, Ph.D., and approved by the MSU Board of Trustees at its June 13 meeting. Designations were effective immediately.
The recognition is among the highest honors that can be bestowed on a faculty member by the university. Those selected for the title have been recognized nationally and internationally for their exceptional teaching, outstanding record of public service, and scholarly and creative achievements.
Individuals holding the professorship will receive, in addition to their salary, a stipend of $5,000 per year for five years to support professional activities.
A reception to honor the newly designated University Distinguished Professors will be held on Nov. 20.
The newly named University Distinguished Professors are:
- Nwando Achebe: Associate Dean for Access, Faculty Development and Strategic Implementation; Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor; Director, Office of Institutional Access, Department of History, College of Social Science
- Jiquan Chen: Professor, Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, College of Social Science; Professor, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations (CGCEO), College of Social Science; Professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources; Professor, AgBioResearch
- David Douches: Professor, Director of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Kathleen Fitzpatrick: Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies; Professor, Department of English, College of Arts & Letters; Core Faculty, Digital Humanities
- Alexandra Gade: Professor of Physics and FRIB Scientific Director, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams; Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Natural Science
- Jennifer Johnson: Founding Chair and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health; Professor of OBGYN, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, College of Human Medicine
- Leo Kempel: Dennis P. Nyquist Endowed Professor of Electromagnetics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
- Richard Lunt: Johansen Crosby Endowed Professor in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, College of Engineering; Department of Physics
- Kristen A. Renn: Red Cedar Distinguished Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education; Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair Emerita; Professor, Department of Educational Administration, College of Education
- Angela Wilson: Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry; Director, MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science and Engineering (MSU-Q), College of Natural Science
