U. of I. names new endowed chairs, professorships

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Nine University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty members have been named as university endowed chairs or professors, an honor awarded to the highly distinguished scholars for their excellence and prominence in research, teaching and service.

“An endowed chair is among the highest honors bestowed to faculty at our university,” said Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost John Coleman. “The remarkable accomplishments of these scholars make them leading and field-shaping voices in their respective fields. We are grateful for their role in making our university one of the best in the world and for the societal impact of their work across the nation and across the globe.”

Christopher Freeburg, a professor of English, and D. Fairchild Ruggles, a professor of landscape architecture, were selected as the inaugural Presidential Humanities and Social Science Chairs. The endowment, with funds invested by the University of Illinois System president, is intended to support humanities and social sciences scholars whose research focuses on innovation and discovery.

Freeburg is the former John A. and Grace W. Nicholson Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences and has an appointment in the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory. He is a distinguished critic of African American literature and culture. His recently published book, “Counterlife: Slavery after Resistance and Social Death,” advances the position that the last half-century of scholarship on slavery in the Americas is rooted in emergent sociology and social theory of the 1950s.

Ruggles is the former Debra L. Mitchell Chair in Landscape Architecture. Her research is credited with having a defining role in establishing Islamic landscape architecture as an essential scholarship discipline. A prolific author and expert on the history of Islamic landscapes, Ruggles’ work transcends garden aesthetics to encompass agricultural production, environmental stewardship, water management and global urbanism since the seventh century.

Charles Gammie, a professor of astronomy and physics, has been named an Ikenberry Endowed Chair. Established in honor of Stanley O. Ikenberry’s tenure as the 14th president of the university, the Ikenberry Chair honors a distinguished faculty member. Gammie is a leading theoretical and computational astrophysicist and is distinguished in the field for his command of both the theory of general relativity and mathematics. He formerly held the Donald Biggar Willett Chair in Engineering.

James Imlay, a professor of microbiology, and Klara Nahrstedt, a professor of computer science, are newly appointed Swanlund Endowed Chairs. The Swanlund Chairs recognize current faculty members who have made exceptional contributions in their fields. Imlay’s research has led to a greater understanding of oxidative stress in bacteria.

Andrew Leakey, a professor of plant biology, was named the Michael Aiken Chair. Established in honor of former Illinois Chancellor Michael Aiken for his devotion to enhancing the quality of teaching, research and service across campus, the chair honors a distinguished faculty member. Leakey is an internationally recognized leader in genomic ecology and global change biology. His research focuses on plant water use efficiency and photosynthesis; plant responses in natural and agricultural ecosystems to global environmental change; and adaptation of food and fuel crops to global environmental change.

Cynthia Oliver, a professor of dance and special advisor to the chancellor for arts integration at Illinois, Brent Roberts, a professor of psychology, and Chrystalla Mouza, a professor and dean of the College of Education, have been named Gutgsell Endowed Chair/Professors. Gutgsell endowed appointments were established by Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell to promote faculty development and to ensure high achievement.

Oliver’s innovative work in dance, choreography and performance is recognized in the U.S. and abroad. With honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Bessie Award reflecting her achievements as a performer, choreographer and scholar, Oliver has created a new understanding of the relationship between dance, identity, gender and Afro Caribbean Americanness.

Roberts is a foremost expert on personality and its development in adulthood. His three major lines of research, considered to have fundamentally changed the field, are clarifying when and how personality traits change; identifying individual differences in personality traits impact on key life outcomes; and providing a comprehensive understanding of conscientiousness.

Mouza is a widely recognized scholar in technology and computer science education. Her record of accomplishment in research, teaching and service are reflected in honors that include American Education Research Association awards, the MIT Inspire – CS AI Fellowship, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Fellowship.

Learn more about campus-wide named chairs.