Five Texas A&M University faculty members have been appointed as University Distinguished Professors. The title, which is bestowed in perpetuity, is among the highest honors awarded to Texas A&M faculty members.
The latest recipients are:
- Dr. Kyle T. Alfriend, TEES Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering
- Dr. M. Katherine Banks, professor and holder of the Harold J. Haynes Dean’s Chair in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering
- Dr. Che-Ming Ko, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science
- Dr. Alan Needleman, TEES Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
- Dr. Michael Waters, professor in the Department of Anthropology and holder of the Endowed Chair in First American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts
The 2017 University Distinguished Professor honorees join a select group of more than 90 current faculty members who hold the prestigious title. This designation denotes a faculty member who is pre-eminent in his or her field, has made at least one seminal contribution to the discipline, and whose work is central in any narrative of the field and is widely recognized to have changed the direction of scholarship in the field.
“University Distinguished Professors represent the highest level of achievement for our faculty,” said Dr. Karan L. Watson, provost and executive vice president. “They are recognized as pre-eminent scholars in their fields and their accomplishments are exemplified by seminal contributions to their respective disciplines. They demonstrate to the world the high quality of scholarship underway at Texas A&M University.”
Texas A&M President Michael K. Young and the Texas A&M Foundation will host a reception on April 26 recognizing the five new university distinguished professors and honoring all of the University Distinguished Professors. More information, including a complete list of University Distinguished Professors, is available online at the Dean of Faculties website.
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This story was originally posted on the Office of the Provost website.
