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Honorifics

University Distinguished Professor

The University Distinguished Professor logo.

The title University Distinguished Professor will be conferred on selected members of the Michigan State University faculty to recognize distinguished achievement in teaching, research, and public service. A University Distinguished Professorship will be held for the remainder of the recipient’s active service at Michigan State University; the title University Distinguished Professor Emeritus will be conferred upon retirement. Individuals holding a University Distinguished Professorship will receive, in addition to salary, an average stipend of five thousand dollars for five years to support professional activities.  

Assignments for University Distinguished Professors will be arranged with the dean, chairperson/director, and the Provost. The designation will be highly honorific and consequently very exclusive. Membership in this category will reflect the diverse scholarly dimensions of Michigan State University. 

Criteria for Selecting University Distinguished Professors 

In general, University Distinguished Professors will have been recognized nationally and usually internationally for the importance of their scholarly achievements. They will also have demonstrated the breadth of interest characteristically encompassed by the traditional role of professor as teacher and public servant. In addition, they will have brought distinction to Michigan State University as a result of their activities. 

Specifically, a University Distinguished Professor will have achieved a record judged by peers to be superior and outstanding in preferably all but in at least two of the following areas: superior teaching skills of recognized breadth and depth in their discipline; scholarly, creative, and artistic achievements; and a distinguished record of public service exemplified by the application of scholarship and/or creative and artistic endeavors in addressing the needs of one or more external publics. 

University Distinguished Professors will have already achieved an outstanding record comparable to that of scholars awarded named professorships at MSU and elsewhere. That record will have been recognized by the University at previous opportunities where merit is rewarded—such as salary increases. 

University Distinguished Professorships will be conferred on members of the Michigan State University faculty whose achievement has already been recognized by the University with the rank of full professor; the title is not to be used for recruitment purposes. 

Cumulative List of University Distinguished Professors (1990-present)

Jump to a Year

2023

2021 (^top)

  • Susan Barman, College of Human Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology; College of Natural Science, Neuroscience
  • Federica Brandizzi, College of Natural Science; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory; Department of Energy – Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
  • Kalyanmoy Deb, College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Manoochehr Koochesfahani, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
  • Joseph Krajcik, College of Education, Teacher Education; College of Natural Science; CREATE for STEM Institute
  • Robert Last, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Plant Biology
  • Kenneth Merz, College of Natural Science, Chemistry; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Thomas Reardon, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
  • Randall Schaetzl, College of Social Science, Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences
  • George Sundin, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

2019 (^top)

  • Ann E. Austin, College of Education, Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education
  • Christoph Benning, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory; Plant Biology; MSU AgBioResearch
  • C. Robin Buell, College of Natural Science, Plant Biology; Plant Resilience Institute; MSU AgBioResearch
  • Christina Chan, College of Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science; College of Natural Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering
  • Carl Davidson, College of Social Science, Economics
  • Megan Donahue, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy
  • Robert P. Hausinger, College of Natural Science, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; MSU AgBioResearch
  • Robert T. Pennock, Lyman Briggs College; College of Arts and Letters, Philosophy; College of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering
  • Scott M. Swinton, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics
  • Lalita Udpa, College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering

2017 (^top)

  • Shanker Balasubramaniam, College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering
  • Pero G. Dagbovie, The Graduate School; College of Social Science, History
  • Thomas Dietz, College of Social Science, Sociology; Environmental Science and Policy Program; Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability
  • Diane Ebert-May, College of Natural Science, Plant Biology
  • Asgerally T. Fazleabas, College of Human Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Health; Center for Women's Health; Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program
  • Gregg A. Howe, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
  • Venkatesh Kumar R. Kodur, College of Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Center on Structural Fire Engineering and Diagnostics
  • Douglas A. Landis, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Entomology
  • Mark M. Meerschaert, College of Natural Science, Statistics and Probability
  • Sandi W. Smith, College of Communication Arts & Sciences, Communication

2015 (^top)

  • Roger J. Calantone, Eli Broad College of Business, Marketing
  • Marcos Dantus, College of Natural Science, Chemistry; Physics & Astronomy
  • Joseph C. Gardiner, College of Human Medicine, Epidemiology & Biostatistics
  • Mary K. Hausbeck, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Plant, Soil & Microbial Sciences
  • Michael J. Leahy, College of Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education
  • Linda S. Mansfield, College of Veterinary Medicine, Large Animal Clinical Sciences; Microbiology & Molecular Genetics
  • Hendrik Schatz, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory; Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • Thomas D. Sharkey, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Robert C. Smith, College of Human Medicine, Medicine
  • Michael Thoennessen, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

2013 (^top)

  • Georg Bollen, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory; Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • Bruce E. Dale, College of Engineering, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science; MSU AgBioResearch
  • Dean DellaPenna, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Sheng Yang He, College of Natural Science, Plant Biology; Microbiology & Molecular Genetics; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
  • James D. Kelly, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Plant, Soil, & Microbial Sciences
  • Fang Zheng Peng, College of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Elizabeth H. Simmons, Lyman Briggs College; College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy
  • Cheryl L. Sisk, College of Social Science, Psychology
  • Rodney T. Whitaker, College of Music, Jazz Studies

2011 (^top)

  • Raymond Brock, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy
  • Jay Pil Choi, College of Social Science, Economics
  • Deborah L. Feltz, College of Education, Kinesiology
  • John R. Hollenbeck, College of Business, Management
  • Paul F. Mantica, College of Natural Science, Chemistry; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Richard Merritt, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Entomology
  • James Pestka, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Food Science & Human Nutrition; Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Human Medicine, & Veterinary Medicine, Microbiology
  • Barbara Schneider, College of Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education; College of Social Science, Sociology
  • Steven W. Shaw, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jerry Weinberger, College of Social Science, Political Science
  • Ning Xi, College of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering

2009 (^top)

  • Michael S. Allen, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Animal Science
  • Pamela J. Fraker, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Food Science & Human Nutrition
  • Thomas Glasmacher, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Kay E. Holekamp, College of Natural Science, Zoology; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Program
  • Ellen Ernst Kossek, College of Social Science, Labor & Industrial Relations
  • Nigel S. Paneth, College of Human Medicine, Epidemiology
  • Mark D. Reckase, College of Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education
  • G. Philip Robertson, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Crop & Soil Sciences; Kellogg Biological Station
  • Satish S. Udpa, College of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Suzanne M. Wilson, College of Education, Teacher Education

2007 (^top)

  • Wolfgang Bauer, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Timothy C. Beers, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy
  • Michael Bratton, College of Social Science, Political Science; International Studies & Programs, African Studies Center
  • Gary L. Cloud, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
  • Robert E. Floden, College of Education, Teacher Education; Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education
  • Roger C. Haut, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Research & Advanced Study Programs, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine; College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
  • Laurie Simon Kaguni, College of Natural Science and College of Human Medicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Ramani Narayan, College of Engineering, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science
  • Piotr Piecuch, College of Natural Science, Chemistry; Physics & Astronomy
  • William W. Taylor, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Fisheries & Wildlife

2005 (^top)

  • Stephen A. Boyd, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Crop & Soil Sciences
  • Joan Ferrini-Mundy, College of Natural Science, Science & Mathematics Education; College of Education, Teacher Education
  • John W. Frost, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Katherine L. Gross, College of Natural Science, Plant Biology; Kellogg Biological Station
  • John B. Kaneene, College of Veterinary Medicine, Large Animal Clinical Sciences; Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health
  • Jianguo Liu, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Fisheries & Wildlife
  • David J. Morrissey, College of Natural Science, Chemistry; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Robert J. Myers, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Agricultural Economics
  • Michael Pressley, College of Education, Teacher Education; Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education
  • Yong Zhao, College of Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education

2003 (^top)

  • Howard Brody, College of Human Medicine, Family Practice; College of Arts & Letters, Philosophy; Center for Ethics & Humanities in the Life Sciences
  • Marilyn Frye, College of Arts & Letters, Philosophy
  • Jack R. Harkema, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pathobiology & Diagnostic Investigation
  • Hassan K. Khalil, College of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • John B. Ohlrogge, College of Natural Science, Plant Biology; College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
  • Dennis R. Preston, College of Arts & Letters, Linguistics & Languages
  • Bradley M. Sherrill, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Terrie E. Taylor, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Internal Medicine
  • Michael F. Thomashow, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Crop & Soil Sciences; Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics; College of Natural Science; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
  • Gary D. Westfall, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

2001 (^top)

  • Kris Arvid Berglund, College of Engineering, Chemical Engineering; College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Agricultural Engineering; College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • John A. Breznak, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics
  • William S. Davidson II, College of Social Science, Psychology
  • Barbara Given, College of Nursing
  • M. G. Kanatzidis, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Jack Preiss, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • William L. Smith, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; College of Human Medicine
  • Alexander Volberg, College of Natural Science, Mathematics
  • Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, College of Business, Economics
  • M. Richard Zinman, James Madison College

1998 (^top)

  • Charles K. Atkin, College of Communication Arts & Sciences, Communication
  • Kim R. Dunbar, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Hiram E. Fitzgerald, College of Social Science, Psychology
  • Kenneth G. Keegstra, College of Natural Science, Biochemistry; Botany & Plant Pathology; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
  • Glenda T. Lappan, College of Natural Science, Mathematics
  • Tien Yien Li, College of Natural Science, Mathematics
  • Ram Narasimhan, College of Business, Marketing & Supply Chain Management
  • A. Allan Schmid, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Agricultural Economics & Resource Development
  • William H. Schmidt, College of Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education
  • Jan A. D. Zeevaart, College of Natural Science, Botany & Plant Pathology; MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory

1997 (^top)

  • Jes Asmussen, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering
  • Mohammed Ayoob, James Madison College
  • Gerald Babcock, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Walter Benenson, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Lawrence M. Busch, College of Social Science, Sociology
  • Lawrence T. Drzal, College of Engineering, Chemical Engineering
  • Shelagh Ferguson-Miller, College of Human Medicine, Biochemistry
  • Ronald A. Fintushel, College of Natural Science, Mathematics
  • Susan Mary Gass, College of Arts & Letters, English
  • Edwin Kashy, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Elsa Verderber, College of Arts & Letters, Music
  • Kalinath Mukherjee, College of Engineering, Materials Science & Mechanics
  • Daniel Nocera, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Thomas J. Pinnavaia, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Natasha V. Raikhel, College of Natural Science, Botany & Plant Pathology; Plant Research Laboratory 
  • Peter Schmidt, College of Business, Economics
  • Harvey V. Sparks, College of Human Medicine, Physiology
  • Michael F. Thorpe, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy
  • Peter J. Wagner, College of Natural Science, Chemistry

1992 (^top)

  • Martin J. Bukovac, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Horticulture
  • Carl K. Eicher, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Agricultural Economics
  • Katharine Clarke Hunt, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Anil K. Jain, College of Engineering, Computer Science
  • Veronica M. Maher, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Microbiology & Public Health
  • J. Justin McCormick, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Microbiology & Public Health
  • Penelope L. Peterson, College of Education, Educational Psychology; Teacher Education
  • David W. Robinson, College of Arts & Letters, History
  • David W. Rohde, College of Social Science, Political Science
  • Neal W. Schmitt, College of Social Science, Psychology
  • Geneva Smitherman, College of Arts & Letters, English
  • Christopher R. Somerville, College of Natural Science, Botany & Plant Pathology
  • James M. Tiedje, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Crop & Soil Science
  • Alexander I. Tulinsky, College of Natural Science, Chemistry

1990 (^top)

  • David Anderson, College of Arts & Letters, American Thought & Language
  • Sam M. Austin, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Henry Blosser, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Jere Brophy, College of Education, Teacher Education
  • Bang-Yen Chen, College of Natural Science, Mathematics
  • Warren I. Cohen, College of Arts & Letters, History
  • James L. Dye, College of Natural Science, Chemistry
  • Michele M. Fluck, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Microbiology & Public Health
  • C. Konrad Gelbke, College of Natural Science, Physics & Astronomy; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
  • Bradley Greenberg, College of Communication Arts & Sciences, Telecommunication & Communication
  • Dean L. Haynes, College of Natural Science, Entomology
  • John M. Hunter, College of Social Science, Geography
  • Hans Kende, College of Natural Science, Plant Research Laboratory
  • Mordechai Kreinin, College of Business, Economics
  • Judith E. Lanier, College of Education, Teacher Education; Dean, College of Education
  • John R. Lloyd, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
  • Gerald Miller, College of Communication Arts & Sciences, Communication
  • E. James Potchen, College of Human Medicine, Radiology
  • Charles Sweeley, College of Human Medicine, Biochemistry
  • Diane Wakoski, College of Arts & Letters, English
  • Mary Zabik, College of Human Ecology, Food Science & Human Nutrition