Named professorships are part of a long-standing tradition to celebrate Rochester’s faculty as researchers, scholars, and teachers.
Several faculty members at the University of Rochester have been appointed to named professorships during the first half of 2024. An honor designed to recognize the national stature of a professor’s work, the named positions are part of a long-standing tradition to celebrate the work of Rochester’s faculty as researchers, scholars, and teachers. Appointments include:
James Druckman, a professor of political science, has been jointly appointed as the Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science.
Druckman is an expert in political behavior and his research focuses on public opinion formation, political polarization, political and scientific communication, political psychology, and experimental and survey methods.
The professorship is named for the University’s first president, Martin Brewer Anderson.
Dragony Fu, an associate professor of biology, has been jointly appointed as the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor.
Fu’s research interests include RNA modification and translation regulation, neurodevelopmental disorders linked to RNA function, as well as biochemistry and molecular biology.
The University’s Mercer Brugler Distinguished Professorships, named after Mercer Brugler ’25, former chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees and former president and chairman of Pfaudler Co. (later Sybron Corp.), support faculty in the School of Arts & Sciences and the Hajim School Engineering & Applied Sciences. Demonstrated excellence in teaching is a prerequisite for appointment to the professorship.
Jill Halterman ’90, ’94M (MD), ’01M (MPH), ’01M (Flw), ’01M (Res), a professor of pediatrics, has been appointed as the William H. Eilinger Chair of Pediatrics and as physician-in-chief at the Golisano Children’s Hospital.
Halterman’s research is focused on improving the delivery of preventive care for underserved children with asthma.
The professorship was established with a gift from William Eilinger’s estate.
Michelle Janelsins-Benton ’05M (MS), ’08M (PhD), a professor of surgery, has been jointly appointed as the Joan and Gary Morrow Endowed Distinguished Professor of Supportive Care in Cancer. Janelsins-Benton retains her joint appointments as a professor of neuroscience, a professor of oncology, and as chief of the Division of Supportive Care in Cancer in the Department of Surgery.
Janelsins-Benton’s research primarily focuses on understanding clinical, psychological, and biological contributors of cancer-related cognitive decline.
The position, which recognizes Gary Morrow, Dean’s Professor in the Department of Surgery, Cancer Control, was established by an anonymous donor.
Vikas Khetan, a professor ophthalmology, has been jointly appointed as the Dr. Mina M. Chung Professor.
Khetan is a retina surgeon, an ocular geneticist, and an ocular oncologist who specializes in the treatment of tumors inside the eye.
The position is named for the late Mina Chung, a retinal disease specialist and associate professor of ophthalmology at Rochester. It was established by a campaign led by Flaum Eye Institute Director David DiLoreto, and Chung’s husband, Dr. Edward Lin.
Caitlyn Kennedy ’11, an assistant professor of chemistry, has been jointly appointed as the James P. Wilmot Distinguished Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry.
Kennedy’s research focuses on catalysis and synthetic methods, organometallic chemistry, and mechanistic and physical organic chemistry
The professorship was established with a gift from James P. Wilmot’s estate.
Narayana Kocherlakota, a professor of finance, has been jointly appointed as the Louise and Henry Epstein Professor of Business Administration at the Simon Business School.
Kocherlakota was the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis from 2009 to 2015. His current research is on monetary policy. His past work includes theoretical and empirical contributions to many fields in economics.
The professorship was established by a gift from Henry Epstein ’80S (MBA) and Louise Epstein.
Amanda Larracuente, a professor of biology, has been jointly appointed as the Nathaniel and Helen Wisch Professor of Biology. Larracuente retains her joint appointment as associate chair in the Department of Biology.
Larracuente’s lab integrates genomic, cytological, and molecular approaches to study selfish DNA and its impact on genome evolution.
Trustee Emeritus Nathaniel (Nat) Wisch ’55 and his wife, Helen, established the professorship in biology.
Mark Levstik, a professor of medicine, has been jointly appointed as the Segal-Watson Professor in Medicine. Levstik retains his joint appointments as a professor of surgery and the chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the Department of Medicine.
Levstik, who leads the Medical Center’s Hepatology and Liver Transplant Program, is involved in the Live Donor Liver Program and the evaluation and treatment of chronic liver disease. His research interests involve liver transplant quality, live donor liver transplantation, and non-invasive Liver Fibrosis Measurement (FibroScan).
The professorship is named for the late Harry Segal, a professor emeritus of medicine, and James Sibley Watson, Class of 1881.
Ravindra Mantena, a clinical professor in the Simon Business School, has been jointly appointed as the Janice M. and Joseph T. Willett Professor of Business Administration for Teaching and Service.
Mantena serves as faculty director for the MBA programs at Simon and his research interests are in the economics of digital and information-rich products.
The professorship was established by Trustee Emeritus Janice Willett ’78S (MBA) and Joseph Willett ’75S (MBA).
Susan McDowell, an associate professor of orthopaedics, has been jointly appointed as the Dr. C. McCollister Evarts Professor in Orthopaedics. McDowell retains her joint appointment as an associate professor of oncology.
McDowell’s clinical research is focused on the fields of orthopaedic surgery and treatment for bone and soft tissue sarcoma.
The professorship was established by C. McCollister “Mac” Evarts ’57M (MD), ’64M (Res), former CEO of the Medical Center and past chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, in support of the University’s orthopaedic educational efforts.
Fatemeh Nargesian, an assistant professor of computer science, has been jointly appointed as the James P. Wilmot Distinguished Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science.
Nargesian’s research in data management focuses on the discovery and integration of data in very large repositories of heterogeneous and raw data.
The professorship was established with a gift from James P. Wilmot’s estate.
Rachel Roberts ’03E, director of the Institute for Music Leadership and an associate professor of music leadership, has been jointly appointed as the Hamlin Family Director of the Institute for Music Leadership in Honor of James Doser.
Roberts has served as director of the Institute for Music Leadership since 2021. In April 2023 she was named director of Eastman School of Music strategic initiatives to help the dean oversee the implementation of the goals, projects, and activities associated with the strategic plan.
George Hamlin, a member and former chair of Eastman’s Board of Managers, and his wife, Mary, established the position to support the institute’s mission to prepare Eastman students to be entrepreneurial thinkers and leaders of musical arts organizations.
Spencer Rosero ’91M (MS), ’95M (Res), ’00M (Flw), a professor of medicine, has been jointly appointed as chief of the cardiology division and as the Paul N. Yu Professor in Cardiology.
Rosero’s research focuses on gaining a better understanding of hereditary arrhythmias such as Long QT syndrome and on futuristic technologies that further the personalization of medicine.
The professorship, established by the Starr Foundation, is named for Paul Yu, a longtime faculty member at the Medical Center who was head of cardiology for many years.
Lauren Solan, an associate professor of pediatrics, has been jointly appointed as the Dr. Elizabeth R. McAnarney Professor in Pediatrics Funded by Roger and Carolyn Friedlander.
Solan’s research examines how to improve the way providers communicate with each other and with families.
The position was endowed by Trustee Emeritus Roger Friedlander ’56 and Carolyn Friedlander ’68 (PNP) in recognition of Elizabeth McAnarney, a former pediatrician-in-chief at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
Carol St. George ’09W (EdD), a clinical professor of teaching and curriculum, has been appointed as the Sheila Konar Professor.
St. George, who directs the literacy teacher education program at the Warner School of Education and Human Development, brings extensive experience as a teacher, ranging from preschool to graduate school. Her research examines how teachers can more effectively collaborate with families to support student literacy and learning.
The professorship was established by a gift from the William and Sheila Konar Foundation.
Christa Whitney-Miller, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, has been jointly appointed as chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and as the Frieda Robscheit-Robbins Professor. Whitney-Miller retains her joint appointment as vice chair of anatomic pathology in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
A surgical pathologist with a focus on gastrointestinal pathology, Whitney-Miller has held numerous leadership positions.
The professorship is named for Frieda Robscheit-Robbins, a pathologist at the Medical Center who had a long career as an educator, researcher, and mentor. She worked with George Hoyt Whipple on research into the use of liver tissue in the treatment of pernicious anemia.
