Past Bonds, Future Enrichment Come Together at Investiture Ceremony

The University of Texas at Dallas honored 12 faculty members on April 29 at the Investiture Ceremony. Endowments provide senior-level faculty with funds to advance their scholarship and support research. This year's honorees are pictured with UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson (second from left) and Provost Inga Musselman (second from right).
Honorees received medallions symbolizing their achievements. The medallions are worn by the holders at formal University ceremonies.
Dr. Juan E. González, the Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education, thanked colleagues and friends after being honored at the ceremony. González also gave a loving tribute to his wife, Maria González. “Since high school we’ve never been apart. She’s my supporter, my counselor, my ally,” González said. “She praises me when I need it, and she criticizes me when I deserve it.”
President Richard C. Benson (left) and Dr. Poras Balsara, interim dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, presented a medallion to Dr. Baowei Fei, Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Chair in Systems Biology Science.
Dr. Baowei Fei’s family watched during his investiture. They include son Joshua, age 9; wife Fang Bian; and daughters Angie and Grace, both 11.
Dr. Umit Gurun, professor of accounting, finance and managerial economics, was honored as an Ashbel Smith Professor. Gurun thanked supporters and said: “I’ve been here for 15 years, and every day was a joy.”
Dr. Kathryn E. Stecke (right), Naveen Jindal School Advisory Council Chair, was introduced by her former student Xuying Zhao MS’07, PhD’07, an associate professor of information technology, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame. “One of my best times here at UT Dallas is working with my PhD students, who introduce me to a variety of topics over time,” Stecke said.
Dr. Stanimir Markov was honored as an Ashbel Smith Professor at the University’s Investiture Ceremony. Markov’s research focuses on information intermediaries, corporate disclosure and capital markets.
Dorian Boncoeur (left), a doctoral candidate in international management studies, congratulated Dr. Riki Takeuchi, the Dr. Joseph Picken Distinguished Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Dmitri Kuksov (center) was honored as an Ashbel Smith Professor at the Investiture Ceremony. PhD student Chenxi Liao (left) introduced Kuksov at the event. Provost Inga Musselman is on the right.
Dr. Özalp Özer (left), the first George and Fonsa Brody Professor in Management, celebrated at the reception with the Brodys. “I’m very happy to receive this investiture, and I would like to dedicate it to my family and friends, to my previous and current PhD students, my collaborators and all my A+ students,” Özer said.
Dr. Steven Small (left), dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and his wife, Dr. Ana Solodkin, chatted with Dr. Aage Møller, Founders Professor in behavioral and brain sciences, at the reception. Small was honored as the Aage and Margareta Møller Distinguished Professor in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
Dr. Milind Dawande (left) was honored with a new professorship made possible by Mike Redeker MBA’97, MA’01 (right). Dawande is the first Mike Redeker Distinguished Professor in Management.
Dr. Fabiano Rodrigues, Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor, celebrated with his wife, Dr. Danieli Rodrigues, assistant professor of bioengineering, and their son, Sam, 3, after the ceremony.

Dr. David Lumley’s connection to University of Texas at Dallas co-founder Cecil H. Green began years ago, when Lumley was studying for his PhD.

Lumley met Green through his advisor, who was Stanford University’s Cecil Green Professor of Geophysics at the time. Lumley discovered that he and Green grew up in the same city and attended the same university as undergraduates. Now, the UT Dallas professor has another tie to Green: He has been named the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Chair in Geophysics.

“With a shared background as a native of Vancouver, an alumnus of University of British Columbia and our attachment to seismology, it’s my great honor to hold this chair at UT Dallas,” Lumley said at the 2019 University Investiture Ceremony.

Lumley was among 12 faculty members to be honored at the ceremony, where they were recognized before their families, colleagues, mentors and students. The faculty members hold professorships and chairs in the Office of Graduate Education, 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.

Dr. David Lumley (left) shakes hands with Rust E. Reid, former trustee of the Cecil and Ida Green Foundation, at a reception after the Investiture Ceremony. Lumley was honored as the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Chair in Geophysics.

The honorees were each introduced by a student speaker before receiving a medallion from University President Richard C. Benson and Dr. Inga Musselman, vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Considered the highest academic honor a university can bestow, chair and professorship endowments provide senior-level faculty with funds to advance their scholarly activities and support research. UT Dallas has more than 130 chairs and professorships. Investitures are among the oldest traditions in academia, dating back more than 500 years. During the ceremony, honorees and ceremonial participants don full academic regalia.

The endowed chairs and professorships are made possible by philanthropic donations, with several established by or honoring the University’s founders and early leaders.

Dr. Juan E. González was named the first Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education, which honors Johnson for his service as graduate dean in the University’s early years.

Other new endowments came from faculty and alumni, including Mike Redeker MBA’97, MA’01 who established the Mike Redeker Distinguished Professorship in Management, and Dr. Joseph Picken, former executive director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UT Dallas, who contributed funds upon his retirement as clinical professor to establish the Dr. Joseph Picken Distinguished Professorship in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Steven Small, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, was honored as the Aage and Margareta Møller Distinguished Professor in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Small thanked Møller, who attended the ceremony, and paid tribute to the donor’s impact.

“Dr. Møller has revolutionized the care of neurosurgical patients around the world,” Small said. “I want to thank Aage for this tremendous honor.”

Dr. Özalp Özer is the first George and Fonsa Brody Professor in Management, which was established to support the research and scholarly activities of the holder in the Jindal School. Retired business owner George Brody, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Fonsa Brody, serves on the Naveen Jindal School of Management Advisory Council.

“I’m delighted to be a recipient of this investiture,” Özer said. “I would like to congratulate all the recipients for their outstanding research and teaching accomplishments and the donors for investing in the future of humanity.”

Faculty members were introduced by students, some of whom now teach at other institutions across the globe. Bharadwaj Kadiyala PhD’17, who introduced Özer, is now an assistant professor of operations management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Xuying Zhao MS’07, PhD’07, an associate professor of information technology, analytics and operations at the University of Notre Dame, introduced Dr. Kathyrn E. Stecke, who was honored with the Naveen Jindal School Advisory Council Chair.

“Dr. Stecke was instrumental in my studies and my career path in the academic world, where I frequently recall what I learned as a student,” Zhao said.

When it was Lumley’s turn to be invested, the professor offered thanks to the University, his family and his students.

“The best part of our jobs is working with students,” Lumley said. “I want to thank my graduate students past, present and future. They truly make it fun to come to work every day.”