UTD Celebrates Newest Class of Endowed Chairs, Professors

Fourteen faculty members — some of UT Dallas’ most influential researchers — were honored April 14 at the 2023 Investiture Ceremony.
Dr. Donal Skinner, Mary McDermott Cook Chair in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College, joined UT Dallas earlier this year as the dean of the Honors College.
Dr. Ming Dong Gu (left), the Katherine R. Cecil Professor in Foreign Languages, shook hands with Dr. Frederick Turner, former Founders Professor, after Turner introduced him at the ceremony. Turner called Gu “an intellectual engineer engaged in building a bridge between Eastern and Western literature and thought.”
Dr. Michael Burton (second from left) was honored by UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson (left); Dr. Steven Small, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences; and Melissa Lenert, a cognition and neuroscience doctoral student. Burton, Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor, said his appointment provides motivation and funding to help people struggling with pain every day – including his brother, who is a U.S. Marine.
Dr. Ovidiu Daescu said he looks forward to contributing even more to UT Dallas as an Erik Jonsson Chair. Daescu also serves as department head of computer science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Dr. Zhenpeng Qin (third from left), Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor, thanked his students who “have worked day and night to push the frontiers we’re trying to push.” Qin is shown with healthcare studies junior Sarah Ahmed (left), UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson and Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Dr. Jianqing Chen, with daughter Lan Chen, was recognized as an Ashbel Smith Professor. Chen researches the business value and economic effects of information systems on consumer behavior and firm strategy.
Dr. Jie Zheng (right), Distinguished Chair in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, celebrated with his family, from left, son Andrew Zheng; wife Dr. Yanping Qin, professor of instruction in chemistry and biochemistry at UTD; and daughter Alina Zheng.
After the ceremony, Founders Professor Dr. Rainer Schulte met with friends from the School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology.
Dr. Manuel Quevedo-Lopez, with his daughter, Maria Luisa Quevedo, said Texas Instruments Inc. supported him in graduate school. Now, he is the TI Distinguished University Chair in Nanoelectronics.

The University of Texas at Dallas celebrated 14 of its most distinguished faculty members and recognized the benefactors who established their endowed positions during the 2023 Investiture Ceremony on April 14.

Considered the highest academic honor a university can bestow, chair and professorship endowments provide faculty with funds to advance their scholarly activities and support research. UT Dallas has more than 140 endowed chairs and professorships.

During the ceremony, UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson said the donors who create the endowments ensure the vitality of UTD’s academic and scientific efforts.

“Endowments are integral to the University’s ability to draw from the most distinguished scholars in their fields,” said Benson, who holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership. “Despite being one of the youngest research institutions in the nation, our faculty — including these high-caliber scholars honored today — are ensuring that we are leaders in learning and discovery.”

The honorees were each introduced by a student, friend or colleague before receiving a medallion at the ceremony. The recognized faculty members represent the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College; School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology; School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences; Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science; Naveen Jindal School of Management; and the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.