Dr. Zsuzsanna Ozsváth (second from left) was honored at the 2012 Investiture Ceremony. She shared the stage with Dr. Dennis Kratz, Dr. Hobson Wildenthal and Dr. David E. Daniel.
Some of UT Dallas’ most accomplished faculty members will be recognized for their achievements this week during a ritual-steeped investiture ceremony.
At 3 p.m. March 18 in the Alexander Clark Center Auditorium, 15 scholars will participate in a formal procession that includes a review of career highlights and a response from the individuals being honored.
Honorees and ceremonial participants don full academic regalia. Medallions symbolizing the level of the achievements are bestowed. Family members, students and colleagues are invited to attend the event to celebrate and support those to be invested.
The faculty members to be honored hold endowed chairs and professorships and include faculty from the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Erik Jonsson School of Computer Science and Engineering, the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, the School of Arts and Humanities, and the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Ceremony Information
Fifteen faculty members holding professorships and chairs will be honored at an Investiture Ceremony at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Alexander Clark Auditorium.
The ceremony is also an expression of gratitude for the generosity of donors who established the endowed chairs and professorships.
“This event is intended to celebrate and publicly acknowledge the achievements of some of our most exceptional faculty,” said UT Dallas President David Daniel. “This recognition represents years — and in some cases — decades of assiduous research, mentoring and exploration. We are proud these professors have made UT Dallas their academic home.”
The endowed chairs and professorships are the highest academic awards that the University can bestow on a faculty member. They serve as enduring tributes to the donors who establish them. Funding generated by the establishment of a chair or professorship also plays a critical role in assisting faculty members to advance their instructional programs and research.
Investitures are one of the oldest traditions in academia, dating back more than 500 years. They originated in England as a way for universities to honor their most accomplished scholars. The last such ceremony at UT Dallas took place in fall 2012.
“The endowed chair is a great honor to receive,” said Dr. Dan Krawczyk, associate professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, who will be recognized at the March 18 ceremony. “Endowments are an inspiring symbol of the interest and support that UT Dallas receives from the philanthropic community. This honor will enable me to pursue new and innovative directions in research.”