• Fourteen faculty members — some of UT Dallas’ most influential researchers — were honored April 14 at the 2023 Investiture Ceremony.

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.

List of Investees

Hobson Wildenthal Honors College


Dr. Donal Skinner
Mary McDermott Cook Chair in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College

School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology


Dr. Ming Dong Gu
Katherine R. Cecil Professor in Foreign Languages

Dr. Nils Roemer
Arts, Humanities, and Technology Distinguished University Chair

Dr. Rainer Schulte
Founders Professor

Dr. Jonathan Tsou
Marvin and Kathleen Stone Distinguished Professor of Humanities in Medicine and Science

School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences


Dr. Michael Burton
Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor

Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science


Dr. Ovidiu Daescu
Erik Jonsson Chair

Dr. Zhenpeng Qin
Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor

Dr. Manuel Quevedo-Lopez
TI Distinguished University Chair in Nanoelectronics

Dr. Joshua D. Summers
Erik Jonsson Chair

Naveen Jindal School of Management


Dr. Jianqing Chen
Ashbel Smith Professor

Dr. Umit Gurun
Stan Liebowitz Professor

School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics


Dr. Shengwang Du
Francis S. and Maurine G. Johnson Chair

Dr. Jie Zheng
Distinguished Chair in Natural Sciences and Mathematics