Endowed Chairs and Professorships | UConn Foundation

A Tradition of Excellence

Endowed faculty positions are a powerful investment in UConn’s academic excellence—made possible by generous donors who help attract top educators and researchers, elevating opportunities for students, and advancing innovation across the University. UConn and UConn Health currently have 128 endowed positions.

Featured Professor

Meet Sandra Chafouleas

Ray Neag Professor of School Psychology

Dr. Chafouleas, a psychology professor in UConn’s Neag School of Education, is advancing practices that support the whole child—especially in social, emotional, and behavioral well-being—helping schools create environments where every student can thrive.

Featured Professor

Meet Cem Demirci

Chase Family Chair in Juvenile Diabetes

Dr. Demirci, a physician specializing in endocrinology and diabetes, is advancing research on stigma, eating behaviors, and mental health to improve care for children living with diabetes.

College of Agriculture, Health & Natural Resources

DelFavero Professor in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Professor: Charles Towe, Ph.D.
Donor: Richard R. and Barbara DelFavero
Date Established: May 2, 2011

George F. Cloutier Professorship in Forestry

Professor: Robert T. Fahey, Ph.D.
Donor: George F. Cloutier
Date Established: Dec. 31, 2008

Livieri Professor of Physical Therapy

Professor: Jeffrey M. Kinsella-Shaw, Ph.D.
Donor: Samuel and Nancy Livieri
Date Established: Sept. 2, 1996

School of Business

Arthur Andersen LLP Accounting Professor

Professor: Steven Utke, Ph.D.
Donor: Arthur Andersen, LLP
Date Established: Dec. 31, 1996

Deloitte Foundation Professorship of Accounting

Professor: David P. Weber, Ph.D.
Donor: Deloitte, LLP
Date Established: March 31, 2014

Eversource Energy Chair in Business Ethics

Professor: Robert C. Bird, JD
Donor: Eversource Energy
Date Established: Oct. 22, 1999

Friar Chair in Leadership and Teams

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Patricia H. and Timothy K. Friar
Date Established: Dec. 18, 2003

GE Professor of Business

Professor: John Mathieu, Ph.D.
Donor: General Electric
Date Established: July 30, 2001

Gladstein Professor of Business and Innovation

Professor: Chinmoy Ghosh, Ph.D.
Donor: Marsha Lilien Gladstein Foundation
Date Established: Jan. 18, 2000

KPMG Professorship in Accounting

Professor: George Plesko, Ph.D.
Donor: KPMG partners and employees
Date Established: Dec. 3, 2025

Richard F. Kochanek Professor of Accounting

Professor: Michael Willenborg, Ph.D. CPA
Donor: Wendy Reeves Watkins and other School of Business alumni
Date Established: Nov. 21, 2000

Robert Cizik Chair in Manufacturing and Technology Management

Professor: Cuihong Li, Ph.D.
Donor: Robert Cizik
Date Established: June 1, 1996

Robert Cizik Professor in Manufacturing and Technology Management

Professor: Robert Day, Ph.D.
Donor: Robert Cizik
Date Established: June 1, 1996

Satell Chair for Corporate Social Responsibility

Established Via Bequest
Donor: The Satell Family Foundation
Date Established: April 10, 2018

Thomas John and Bette Wolff Family Chair in Strategic Entrepreneurship

Professor: Timothy B. Folta, Ph.D.
Donor: The Wolff Family
Date Established: Sept. 13, 1984

Toscano Family Chair in Finance

Professor: Yiming Qian, Ph.D.
Donor: Daniel D. and Tresa Toscano
Date Established: June 2, 2014

Treibick Family Chair for the Connecticut Information Technology Institute

Professor: Xinxin Li, Ph.D.
Donor: Richard Treibick
Date Established: May 8, 2000

Voya Financial Chair

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Voya Financial
Date Established: April 28, 2000

Voya Financial Professorship

Professor: Nicholas H. Lurie, Ph.D.
Donor: Voya Financial
Date Established: April 28, 2000

Neag School of Education

John and Maria Neag Professorship in Urban Education

Professor: Preston C. Green III
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

Letitia Neag Morgan Chair for Educational Psychology

Professor: Matthew Lemberger-Trulove, Ph.D.
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 29, 2011

Neag Endowed Professor in Educational Policy

Professor: Casey D. Cobb, Ph.D. MS AB
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

Ray Neag Endowed Professor of Educational Leadership

Professor: Currently vacant
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

Ray Neag Endowed Professor of Teacher Education

Professor: Currently vacant
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

Ray Neag Professor of School Psychology

Professor: Sandra M. Chafouleas, Ph.D.
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

The Lynn and Ray Neag Endowed Chair for Talent Development

Professor: Del Siegle, Ph.D.
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: May 23, 1996

College of Engineering

Charles H. Knapp Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering

Professor: Sung Yeul Park, Ph.D.
Donor: Robert C. Knapp
Date Established: June 27, 2012

Collins Aerospace Chair of Thermal-Fluids Engineering

Professor: Currently vacant
Donor: Collins Aerospace
Date Established: March 7, 2000

The Collins Aerospace Professor in Systems Engineering

Professor: Currently vacant
Donor: Collins Aerospace
Date Established: Aug. 18, 2011

Comcast Chair for CyberSecurity Innovation

Professor: Amir Herzberg, Ph.D.
Donor: Comcast
Date Established: May 13, 2015

Connecticut Green Bank Professor of Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Professor: Radenka Maric, Ph.D.
Donor: Connecticut Innovations, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 28, 2003

Connecticut Green Bank Professor of Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Professor: Chih-Jen (Jackie) Sung, Ph.D.
Donor: Connecticut Innovations, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 28, 2003

Connecticut Green Bank Professor of Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Professor: Xiao-Dong Zhou, Ph.D.
Donor: Connecticut Innovations, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 28, 2003

Eversource Energy Professor in Environmental & Sustainability Education

Professor: Burcu Beykal, Ph.D.
Donor: Eversource Energy
Date Established: Oct. 25, 1999

Eversource Energy Professor in Environmental & Sustainability Education

Professor: Marina Astitha, Ph.D.
Donor: Eversource Energy
Date Established: Oct. 25, 1999

Eversource Energy Chair of Environmental Engineering

Professor: Emmanouil N. Anagnostou, Ph.D.
Donor: Eversource Energy
Date Established: Jan. 12, 1999

Frederick H. Leonhardt Computer Science Chair

Professor: Jinbo Bi, Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Nov. 18, 1983

General Electric Professor in Advanced Manufacturing

Professor: Pamir Alpay, Ph.D.
Donor: General Electric
Date Established: July 31, 2012

General Electric Professor in Advanced Manufacturing

Professor: Jeffrey R. McCutcheon, Ph.D.
Donor: General Electric
Date Established: July 31, 2012

Krenicki Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Professor: Ki H. Chon, Ph.D.
Donor: John Krenicki Jr. and Donna Samson Krenicki
Date Established: Aug. 3, 2010

Marianne E. Klewin Professor in Engineering

Professor: Yaakov Bar-Shalom, Ph.D.
Donor: C.R. Klewin Construction Company
Date Established: Dec. 31, 1996

The Nicholas E. Madonna Chair in Sustainability

Professor: Xiao-Dong Zhou, Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: June 29, 2011

Pratt & Whitney Chair in Advance Systems Engineering

Professor: George Bollas, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: Nov. 19, 2013

Pratt & Whitney Chair in Design and Manufacturing

Professor: Jiong Tang, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: March 7, 2000

Pratt & Whitney Professor of Digital Design and Advanced Manufacturing

Professor: Horea Ilies, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: March 7, 2000

Pratt & Whitney Professor of Computer Science and Engineering

Professor: Sanguthevar Rajasekaran, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: March 7, 2000

Pratt & Whitney Associate Professorships in Advanced Systems Engineering

Professors: Fei Miao, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: Nov. 19, 2013

Pratt & Whitney Associate Professorships in Advanced Systems Engineering

Professors: Matthew Stuber, Ph.D, Song Han, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: Nov. 19, 2013

Pratt & Whitney Associate Professorships in Advanced Systems Engineering

Professors: Song Han, Ph.D.
Donor: Pratt & Whitney
Date Established: Nov. 19, 2013

Raymond and Susan Petniunas Power Engineering Professorship

Established Via Bequest
Donor: Raymond V. and Susan E. Petniunas
Date Established: Dec. 21, 2015

Raytheon Technologies Chair in Fuel Cell Technology

Professor: Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao, Ph.D.
Donor: Raytheon Technologies
Date Established: March 7, 2000

SNET Professor of Communications and Information Technologies

Professor: Bahram Javidi, Ph.D.
Donor: Southern New England Telephone
Date Established: Dec. 30, 1998

Synchrony Chair in Cybersecurity

Professor: Laurent Michel, Ph.D.
Donor: Synchrony
Date Established: June 30, 2016

The William B. Hewitt and Laura M. Hewitt Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering

Established Via Bequest
Donor: William B. and Laura M. Hewitt
Date Established: Feb. 25, 2009

School of Fine Arts

Alice Murray Heilig Music Chair

Professor: Louis Hanzlik, Ed.D.
Donor: Charles E. Heilig Jr.
Date Established: Dec. 29, 2000

Donna Krenicki Professorship in Design and Digital Media in the School of Fine Arts

Professor: Heather Elliott-Famularo
Donor: John Krenicki Jr. and Donna Samson Krenicki
Date Established: Dec. 22, 2015

Rhoda Shivers Chair

Professor: Currently vacant
Donor: Jay Shivers & Family
Date Established: September 29, 2021

School of Law

Alva P. Loiselle Professor of Law

Professor: Richard D. Pomp, JD
Donor: Alva P. Loiselle, Law School Deans and Faculty
Date Established: Nov. 10, 1987

Anthony J. Smits Professor of Global Commerce

Professor: Steven Wilf, JD Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Feb. 1, 2012

Connecticut Mutual Professor of Law

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Multiple Donors
Date Established: Dec. 20, 1985

Ellen Ash Peters Professor of Law

Professor: Anne C. Dailey, JD
Donor: Phillip I. Blumberg and Ellen Ash Peters
Date Established: Feb. 1, 1990

George J. and Helen M. England Professor of Law

Professor: Angel Oquendo, JD Ph.D.
Donor: William T. England
Date Established: Feb. 11, 1992

Phillip I. Blumberg Professor of Law

Professor: Peter Siegelman, Ph.D.
Donor: Phillip I. Blumberg and Multiple Donors
Date Established: Jan. 12, 1999

Thomas F. Gallivan, Jr. Chair of Real Property Law

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company and Multiple Donors
Date Established: Oct. 26, 1982

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Aetna Chair of Writing

Professor: Brenda Brueggemann, Ph.D.
Donor: Aetna Life & Casualty Foundation
Date Established: Dec. 30, 1986

Alan R. Bennett Honors Professor of Political Science

Professor: Virginia A. Hettinger, Ph.D.
Donor: Alan R. Bennett
Date Established: Aug. 2, 2000

Arden Chair in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Professor: Daniel Bolnick, Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Sept. 25, 2019

Doris and Simon Konover Family Foundation Chair of Judaic Studies

Professor: Jessica Cooperman, Ph.D.
Donor: Doris and Simon Konover Family Foundation
Date Established: Dec. 31, 2001

Emiliana Pasca Noether Chair in Modern Italian History

Professor: Sergio Luzzatto, Ph.D.
Donor: Emiliana P. Noether
Date Established: Dec. 29, 1986

Harold S. Schwenk Sr. Distinguished Chair in Chemistry

Professor: Daniele Fabris, Ph.D.
Donor: Howard S. Schwenk Jr. and Paula H. J. Schwenk
Date Established: Dec. 9, 1996

James and Carol Anderson Endowed Professor of Biology

Established Via Bequest
Donor: James B. and Carol P. Anderson
Date Established: Jan. 17, 2017

James and Eleanor Gibson Professor in Ecological Psychology

Established Via Bequest
Donor: Michael Turvey and Claudia Carello
Date Established: Sept. 18, 2014

James Barnett Professor in Humanistic Anthropology

Professor: Richard Sosis, Ph.D.
Donor: Dennison J. Nash
Date Established: Dec. 13, 2012

James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History

Professor: Manisha Sinha, Ph.D.
Donor: James L. and Shirley A. Draper
Date Established: Dec. 18, 2000

James T. and Iris E. Todd Professorship

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: James T. and Iris E. Todd
Date Established: Nov. 15, 2016

Lynn Wood Neag Distinguished Visiting Professor of British Literature

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: June 30, 1997

Paul Krenicki Professor of Chemistry

Professor: Jessica Rouge, Ph.D.
Donor: John Krenicki Jr. and Donna M. Krenicki
Date Established: Dec. 22, 2015

Rosalind Chair in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Professor: Karolina Heyduk, Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Sept. 25, 2019

Stuart and Joan Sidney Professor of Mathematics

Professor: Euiyong Park
Donor: Daniel Sidney, Raymond Sidney, Lawrence Sidney, and Jennifer Silva
Date Established: April 17, 2009

Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing

Robin Froman and Steve Owen Chair in Nursing

Established Via Bequest
Donor: Robin D. Froman and Steven Owen
Date Established: Sept. 18, 2014

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Endowed Chair in Mechanistic Toxicology

Professor: José E. Manautou, Ph.D.
Donor: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date Established: Dec. 22, 2005

Dr. Henry A. Palmer Endowed Professorship in Community Pharmacy Practice

Professor: Marie A. Smith, Pharm.D.
Donor: Joseph Papa and Multiple Donors
Date Established: Dec. 31, 2006

James B. LaFlamme Dean of Pharmacy

Professor: Established Via Bequest
Donor: James B. LaFlamme and Carolyn S. Thompson
Date Established: Dec. 31, 2020

Pfizer Distinguished Chair in Pharmaceutical Technology

Professor: Diane J. Burgess, Ph.D.
Donor: Pfizer, Inc.
Date Established: June 17, 2004

School of Social Work

Zachs Chair in Social Work

Professor: Cristina Wilson, Ph.D.
Donor: Zachs Family Foundation
Date Established: Oct. 8, 1999

UConn Health

Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Chair in Academic Medicine

Professor: Cato T. Laurencin, MD Ph.D.
Donor: Wilda Van Dusen
Date Established: March 21, 2002

Boehringer Ingelheim Chair in Immunology

Professor: Anthony T. Vella, Ph.D.
Donor: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date Established: Oct. 2, 1984

Boehringer Ingelheim Professor in Cell Sciences

Professor: Pedro J. Mendes, Ph.D.
Donor: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Date Established: Oct. 2, 1984

Carole and Ray Neag Innovation Professor

Professor: Guangfu Li, Ph.D.
Donor: The Neag Foundation
Date Established: June 30, 2020

Chase Family Chair in Juvenile Diabetes

Professor: Cem Demirci, MD
Donor: David T. and Rhoda L. Chase ’06H; Cheryl A. Chase LAW ’78 and Stuart D. Bear; Arnold L. and Sandra M. Chase
Date Established: March 2, 1984

Dr. Charles J. Burstone Professor

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Dr. Charles J. Burstone
Date Established: April 26, 2001

Dr. Manfred J. Sakel Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry

Professor: Andrew Winokur, MD Ph.D.
Donor: Estate of Marianne Hartly
Date Established: July 16, 2004

Dr. Thomas D. Taylor Endowed Chair in Prosthodontics

Professor: Thomas D. Taylor, DDS MSD
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Jan. 31, 2011

Eversource Energy Chair in Experimental Oncology

Professor: Pramod K. Srivastava, Ph.D. MD
Donor: Eversource Energy
Date Established: Dec. 26, 1985

Harry and Helen Gray/Harry R. Gossling, MD Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery

Professor: Isaac L. Moss, MD
Donor: Harry J. and Helen B. Gray
Date Established: Sept. 22, 1988

Hartford Whalers’ Chair in Children’s Cancer

Professor: Michael S. Isakoff, MD
Donor: Hartford Whalers Hockey Club and the Hartford Whalers Wives
Date Established: Jan. 1, 1986

Healey Chair in Medical Humanities and Bioethics

Professor: Audrey R. Chapman, Ph.D. MDiv STM
Donor: University of Connecticut Health Center Auxiliary and the Healey Fund Committee
Date Established: Sept. 30, 1993

Health Net, Inc. – American Red Cross Chair in Transfusion Medicine

Professor: Biree Andemariam, MD
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 20, 1984

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Professor: Sarah Feldstein Ewing, Ph.D.
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 17, 1987

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Cancer Biology

Professor: Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 17, 1997

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Community Medicine and Public Health

Professor: Doug Brugge, Ph.D. MS
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: June 30, 1997

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Genetics and Developmental Biology

Professor: Brenton R. Graveley, Ph.D.
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: June 30, 1997

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology

Professor: Richard H. Fortinsky, Ph.D.
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Sept. 20, 1989

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Human Genetics

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Feb. 19, 1988

Health Net, Inc. Chair in Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Professor: Danielle E. Luciano, MD
Donor: Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: Aug. 23, 1988

Herman Lopata Chair in Hepatitis Research

Professor: Currently Vacant
Donor: Frances Lopata, Roy Lopata, Peggy Lopata, and Edward Lopata
Date Established: Jan. 1, 1993

James E.C. Walker, MD/Health Net, Inc. Chair in Primary Care

Professor: Francesco Celi, MD
Donor: James E.C. Walker, MD and Audrey C.W. Walker; Health Net, Inc.
Date Established: June 30, 1996

Janice and Rodney Reynolds Chair in Neurobiology

Professor: Manuel A. Castro-Alamancos, Ph.D.
Donor: Janice B. and Rodney R. Reynolds
Date Established: Feb. 13, 1981

John A. and Florence Mattern Solomon Endowed Chair in Vision Biology and Eye Diseases

Professor: Royce Mohan, Ph.D.
Donor: John A. and Florence M. Solomon
Date Established: March 9, 1984

John and Donna Krenicki Professor in Genomics and Personalized Healthcare

Professor: Rachel J. O’Neill, Ph.D.
Donor: John Krenicki Jr. and Donna Samson Krenicki
Date Established: Sept. 25, 2012

Linda and David Roth Chair for Cardiovascular Research

Professor: Annabelle Rodriguez-Oquendo, MD
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Dec. 1, 2003

Lockean Distinguished Chair in Mental Health Education, Research, and Clinical Improvement

Professor: Margaret Briggs-Gowan, Ph.D.
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: Dec. 1, 2002

Marlene L. Cohen and Jerome H. Fleisch Chair in Vascular Biology

Professor: Patrick A. Murphy, Ph.D.
Donor: Marlene L. Cohen and Jerome H. Fleisch
Date Established: February 28, 2024

Murray-Heilig Chair in Molecular Medicine

Professor: Andrew Arnold, MD
Donor: Charles E. Heilig Jr., Alice M. Heilig, and Cheryl A. Heilig
Date Established: May 1, 1996

Murray-Heilig Chair in Surgery

Professor: Kevin F. Staveley-O’Carroll, MD, Ph.D., MBA, FACS
Donor: Charles E. Heilig Jr. and Alice M. Heilig
Date Established: Aug. 8, 1988

Pat and Jim Calhoun Associate Professor in Cardiology

Professor: J. Travis Hinson, MD
Donor: Anonymous Donor
Date Established: April 3, 2012

Ray Neag Distinguished Chair in Vascular Biology

Professor: Bruce T. Liang, MD
Donor: Ray and Carole Neag
Date Established: April 28, 1999

Samuel “Sy” Birnbaum/Ida, Louis, and Richard Blum Chair in Psychiatry

Professor: David C. Steffens, MD, MHS
Donor: Samuel “Sy” Birnbaum, Ida Blum, Louis Blum, and Richard Blum
Date Established: April 30, 2002

Scoville Chair in Neuroscience

Professor: Riqiang Yan, Ph.D.
Donor: William Beecher Scoville Foundation, Inc.
Date Established: April 13, 1976

State of Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education Chair in Infectious Diseases

Professor: Kevin Dieckhaus, MD
Donor: State of Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education
Date Established: Oct. 18, 1988

The Travelers Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology

Professor: George A. Kuchel, MD
Donor: The Travelers Companies Foundation, Inc.
Date Established: Sept. 10, 1984

UConn Orthodontics Alumni/Nanda Orthodontics Chair

Professor: Flavio A. Uribe, DDS MDentSci
Donor: UConn Orthodontic Alumni Association
Date Established: Oct. 15, 2001

Questions

Rachel Griffin

Senior Director for Donor Relations and Stewardship

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