The title of “university distinguished professor,” Texas A&M University’s designation underscoring that a faculty member is pre-eminent in his or her academic discipline nationally and internationally, has been bestowed on six more faculty members, effective with the start of the new academic year on Sept. 1.

The new recipients of “university distinguished professor” recognition are: Dr. Edward R. Dougherty, professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dwight Look College of Engineering; Dr. Dimitris C. Lagoudas, professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Dwight Look College of Engineering; Dr. Vijay P. Singh, professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Dwight Look College of Engineering; Dr. Nicholas B. Suntzeff, professor of physics and astronomy, College of Science; Dr. Ian Tizard, professor of veterinary pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; and Dr. Bernd G. Würsig, professor of marine biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston.

Texas A&M Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Karan Watson announced their selection and explained the significance of the designation.

“University Distinguished Professors represent the highest level of achievement for our faculty,” Watson emphasized. “They are recognized as pre-eminent authorities in their fields and their accomplishments are exemplified by outstanding teaching, mentoring, discovery and service. They demonstrate to the world the high quality of scholarship underway at Texas A&M University.”

Additionally, the title, which is bestowed in perpetuity, indicates that a recipient has made at least one “seminal contribution” to his or her discipline and whose work is central in any narrative of the field and is widely recognized to have changed the direction of scholarship in the field, she added.

Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin and the Texas A&M Foundation will host an April 29 reception recognizing the six new university distinguished professors and honoring all faculty members holding that title. Currently 66 faculty members hold the prestigious title.

For more information, go to http://tamutimes.tamu.edu/2013/03/01/university-distinguished-professor-titles-awarded-to-six-texas-am-faculty-members/.