In celebration of Texas A&M University’s dedication to academic excellence, the College of Arts and Sciences hosted its second annual investiture ceremony to honor 34 distinguished faculty members who hold endowed chairs and professorships.
During the Thursday (Nov. 14) ceremony held in the Memorial Student Center’s Bethancourt Ballroom, faculty were awarded bronze medallions inscribed with the name of their endowment to represent their contributions to world-class research, teaching and scholarship.
In his remarks, Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Mark J. Zoran explained the significance of an investiture, which is based on ceremonies conferring knighthood.
“The high status of the endowed chairs and professorships being bestowed this evening also fits the classical definition of an investiture,” Zoran said. “This year’s recipients are at the forefront of the missions of the College of Arts & Sciences... Therefore, it is only fitting that we recognize tonight’s honorees, who have demonstrated such a high level of sustained performance, with this symbolic investiture.”
The ceremony also included remarks from Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Associate Provost for Academic Enhancement Dr. Michael D. Johnson.
“This occasion marks the highest distinction a faculty member can earn from their university,” Johnson said. “It recognizes your past and future contributions to your discipline and also recognizes the generosity of the donors who have enabled and funded critically important endowments to support each of you and sponsor your research.”
The complete list of faculty honored along with their endowed appointment is as follows:
New Chair Appointments
Dr. Troy Bickham, Department of History/Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research
SUSANNE M. AND MELBERN G. GLASSCOCK DIRECTOR’S CHAIR
Dr. Kevin Crisman, Department of Anthropology
GEORGE T. & GLADYS H. ABELL CHAIR IN NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY ENDOWMENT
Dr. Steven F. DiMarco, Department of Oceanography
WILLIAM R. BRYANT OCEANOGRAPHY CHAIR FOR TEACHING, RESEARCH AND MENTORING EXCELLENCE
Dr. Marian Eide, Department of English
MURRAY AND CELESTE FASKEN CHAIR IN DISTINGUISHED TEACHING IN THE LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Krista Lynne Smith, Department of Physics and Astronomy
MITCHELL/HEEP/MUNNERLYN ENDOWED CAREER ENHANCEMENT CHAIR IN PHYSICS
Dr. Renyi Zhang, Department of Atmospheric Sciences
MR AND MRS. JAMES R. WHATLEY ’47 CHAIR IN GEOSCIENCES
Dr. Mark J. Zoran, Dean of Arts & Sciences/Department of Biology
R.H. HARRISON FAMILY DEAN’S CHAIR OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Chair Reappointments
Dr. Raymond J. Carroll, Department of Statistics
JILL AND STEWART HARLIN ’83 CHAIR IN STATISTICS
Dr. Tadhg Begley, Department of Chemistry
ROBERT A. WELCH-BARTON ENDOWED CHAIR IN CHEMISTRY
Dr. Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, Department of Chemistry
C.J. DAVIDSON CHAIR IN SCIENCE
Dr. Bhaskar Dutta, Department of Physics and Astronomy
MITCHELL-HEEP CHAIR IN HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS
Dr. Margaret Ezell, Department of English
JOHN H. AND SARA H. LINDSEY CHAIR IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. François P. Gabbaï, Department of Chemistry
A.E. MARTELL ENDOWED CHAIR
Dr. Frank M. Raushel, Department of Chemistry
THOMAS W. POWELL CHAIR II FOR SCIENCE
Dr. Hans Schuessler, Department of Physics and Astronomy
SCHUESSLER/MITCHELL/HEEP CHAIR IN EXPERIMENTAL OPTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL PHYSICS
Dr. Karen L. Wooley, Department of Chemistry
W.T. DOHERTY-WELCH FOUNDATION CHAIR IN CHEMISTRY
Dr. Sherry J. Yennello, Department of Chemistry
CYCLOTRON INSTITUTE BRIGHT CHAIR IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE
New Professorship Appointments
Dr. Brian Anderson, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
CHARLES PURYEAR PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Winfred Arthur Jr., Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
JOHN PAUL ABBOTT PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Piotr Bojakowski, Department of Anthropology
SARA W. & GEORGE O. YAMINI PROFESSORSHIP IN NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Dr. Xiaowei Chen, Department of Geology and Geophysics
ROBERT R. BERG PROFESSORSHIP IN GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS
Dr. Christopher Dostal, Department of Anthropology
FREDERICK R. MAYER ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY II
Dr. Jessi Halligan, Department of Anthropology
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE FIRST AMERICANS PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Sonia Hernández, Department of History
GEORGE T. & GLADYS H. ABELL PROFESSORSHIP OF LIBERAL ARTS ENDOWMENT II
Dr. Nadia Y. Kim, Department of Sociology
GEORGE SUMEY JR. PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS
Dr. Joseph M. Landsberg, Department of Mathematics
ARTHUR G. & MARY E. OWEN ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP II
Dr. Ragan Petrie, Department of Economics
GEORGE T. & GLADYS H. ABELL PROFESSORSHIP OF LIBERAL ARTS ENDOWMENT I
Dr. Jin Zhang, Department of Geology and Geophysics
ROSIE M. AND MURRY D. PAGE GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP
Professorship Reappointments
Dr. James D. Batteas, Department of Chemistry
DR. WAYNE GOODMAN MEMORIAL PROFESSORSHIP IN CHEMISTRY
Dr. Lorien Foote, Department of History
PATRICIA AND BOOKMAN PETERS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY
Dr. Oleg Ozerov, Department of Chemistry
EMILE AND MARTA SCHWEIKERT PROFESSORSHIP IN CHEMISTRY
Dr. Clare Palmer, Department of Philosophy
GEORGE T. AND GLADYS H. ABELL PROFESSORSHIP IN LIBERAL ARTS III
Dr. Martin Peterson, Department of Philosophy
SUE AND HARRY BOVAY, JR. ENDOWED CHAIR FUND FOR THE HISTORY & ETHICS OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING
Dr. David H. Russell, Department of Chemistry
APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS/MDS SCIEX INSTRUMENTS PROFESSORSHIP IN MASS SPECTROMETRY IN CHEMISTRY FUND