Endowed and Named Chairs and Faculty Fellowships
The David Burpee Chair in Plant Genetics was established in 1983 through the generosity of David Burpee, Bucknell trustee for more than 40 years. Incumbents of the chair will be selected to advance knowledge in plant genetics research.
The Claire W. Carlson Chair in Environmental Engineering was funded by gifts from Trustee Emerita Claire W. Carlson, Class of 1949. Those selected to hold this chair will lead students and faculty peers through teaching, collaborative research, and scholarship in specialized and interdisciplinary study associated with environmental engineering.
The John P. Crozer Chair of English Literature was established in 1865 and honors a faculty member known for outstanding scholarship in English literature. John P. Crozer, a trustee of the University, gave Bucknell, in 1856, a substantial gift for the purpose of more fully founding and endowing the University.
The Josephine Hildreth Detmer & Zareen Taj Mirza Professorship in Islamic Studies was created by gifts from Josephine H. "Dodie" Detmer, Class of 1952, and her daughter, Zareen Taj Mirza, Class of 1979. Income from the Fund supports teaching, scholarship and research in Islamic Studies.
The William H. Dunkak Chair in Finance in the Department of Business Management was established by William H. Dunkak Jr., in memory of William H. Dunkak. The chairholder will be included in the faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences, and will be charged with teaching about, and conducting, guiding, and supporting personal and student research in the area of finance.
The David & Patricia Ekedahl Professorship in Environmental Studies was established in 2010 by David ’56 and Patricia Ekedahl. Those selected to hold this professorship will be appointed for terms of up to five years and charged to lead students through teaching and collaborative research and scholarship, and through collaboration with faculty peers and students in both specialized and interdisciplinary study of environmental issues, including human effects on the environment and environmental effects on human life and culture.
The William C. & Gertrude B. Emmitt Memorial Chair in Biomedical Engineeering was established to honor the memory of these members of Bucknell’s Class of 1930 by their children: Virginia M. Chitwood, Class of 1959; Richard B. Emmitt, Class of 1967; and William C. Emmitt Jr., Class of 1969. The chairholder will be included in the faculty of the College of Engineering, and will be charged with teaching about and conducting, guiding, and supporting personal and student scholarship activity in the area of biomedical engineering.
The Kenneth W. Freeman Professor & Dean of the College of Management was established in 2008 by Bucknell trustee Kenneth W. Freeman, Class of 1972, and his wife, Janice W. Freeman. The fund shall be used for the deanship of the College of Management.
The Jane W. Griffith Faculty Fellowship was established by Jane W. Griffith, Class of 1943, in 2005. Fellowship grants from this fund are awarded to superior newly hired faculty to support their research and professional academic development.
The John Howard Harris Chair in Philosophy honors a faculty member known for superior teaching and outstanding scholarship. The chair was established in 1925 in honor of the fourth president of Bucknell University. President Harris, who worked to build a faculty of superior teachers who maintain a high level of scholarship, was responsible for the expansion of the Bucknell curriculum to include professional and technical studies.
The Heinemann Family Professorship in Engineering was funded by a gift from Trustee Kirsten S. Heinemann, Class of 1981, and Steven D. Heinemann, dedicated parents of Andrew F. Heinemann, Class of 2012, and Erik Leister Heinemann, Class of 2015. The Heinemann Family Professorship will be held by a member of the faculty in the College of Engineering.
The Samuel H. Kress Professorship of Art History was created in 1967 by the Bucknell University Board of Trustees as a memorial to one of the leading patrons of the arts in the United States. It was funded through the sale of real estate given by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation after the death of Rush H. Kress, Class of 1900, a generous benefactor and Bucknell trustee for many years. Holders of the chair will be selected to recognize excellence in teaching and scholarship in the field of art history.
The Margaret Hollinshead Ley Professorship in Poetry & Creative Writing was established in 2010 by Margaret Hollinshead Ley, a member of Bucknell’s Class of 1960. Those selected to hold this professorship will be appointed for potentially renewable terms of up to five years and charged with leading students from all disciplines, including math, the sciences, engineering, and the social sciences, as well as the more traditional fields within the humanities, through inspirational teaching and the creative production of poetry and prose, and collaborating with faculty peers and students in the study of poetry and creative writing.
The Christian R. Lindback Chair in Business Administration was created by a gift from the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation in 1960, in memory of Christian R. Lindback and in recognition of his sustained interest in faculty development in all disciplines of the University.
The John D. MacArthur Chair was established in 1981 with endowment funds from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, to assist in bringing new and promising faculty members to Bucknell. The professorship rotates from department to department every five years at the designation of the president.
The T. Jefferson Miers Chair in Electrical Engineering was established by gifts from Louise Matthews Miers, Class of 1926, to honor the memory of her husband, T. Jefferson Miers ’26, by promoting outstanding faculty scholarship at Bucknell. Holders of the chair will be selected to recognize the excellence of their scholarship, teaching ability, and their leadership in the field of electrical engineering.
The National Endowment for the Humanities Chair in the Humanities was established in 1989 with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and honors an associate professor with a strong record of scholarship and teaching in the humanities at Bucknell University.
The C. Graydon & Mary E. Rogers Faculty Fellowship was established in 2009 by C. Graydon and Mary E. Rogers, both members of Bucknell’s Class of 1951. Grants from this fund are awarded to attract and retain superior faculty by supporting their research, teaching, and professional academic development.
The Robert L. Rooke Chair in Engineering was created by a bequest from the estate of Robert L. Rooke, Class of 1913. Income from the fund supports teaching and research in the College of Engineering.
The Russell-Childers Professorship in the Laboratory Sciences was established in 2015 by a gift from Dr. Jean E. Russell and her husband Robert R. Childers, friends, and donors to Bucknell University. Those selected to hold this professorship will be charged to lead students through teaching, collaborative research and scholarship in the laboratory sciences, including but not limited to biology, biochemistry, chemistry, geology, physics, and neuroscience.
The Howard I. Scott Endowment was established in 1988 and principally funded by testamentary gifts from the estate of Howard I. Scott ’39 as a memorial honoring his parents, Russell Lewis Scott and Bessie Harrison Scott. The endowment funds the Howard I. Scott Chairs and Professorships in Management, supporting teaching, scholarly research, and lectures concerned with leadership, innovation, and strategic management in the modern business world.
The Ruth Everett Sierzega Chair in Linguistics was established by Edward Raymond Sierzega to recognize excellent teaching and scholarship in linguistics and languages. The chair was established by Mr. Sierzega to preserve and honor the memory of his wife, Ruth, Class of 1945.
The Silbermann Family Professorship in Modern Hebrew Language & Literature was created by gifts from M. Steven and Julie A. Silbermann, both Class of 1978, and parents of Matthew E. Silbermann, Class of 2008, and Karen S. Silbermann, Class of 2012. Income from the Fund supports teaching and research in Judaic studies.
The Herbert L. Spencer Professorship in Biology was established in 1970 as a memorial to Bucknell’s eighth president (1945-49) and executive director of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, with a grant from the Kress Foundation.
The Swanson Fellowships in the Sciences & Engineering were established in 2002 by the children of Mary Jane Brokaw Swanson ’52 and Jack Swanson ’51 to honor their parents. The fellowship has been increased regularly with gifts from the Swansons and members of their family. Swanson Fellowships are granted to newly hired faculty in the laboratory science and engineering departments to support their research and professional academic development.
The John P. & Mary Jane Swanson Professorship in Engineering & the Sciences was created by gifts from Mary Jane Swanson, Class of 1952, and her family. Those faculty appointed to this professorship will engage students through instruction, collaborative research, and scholarship in engineering or the natural sciences.
The David Morton & Leanne Freas Trout Professorship of French was established in 2008 by Leanne Freas Trout, Class of 1950, to honor the memory of her late husband, David, also a member of the Class of 1950, and an Emeritus member of the University’s Board of Trustees. Those selected to hold this professorship will be appointed for five-year terms and charged to lead students through teaching, personal and directed student scholarship, and collaboration with faculty peers and students in the study of French language and culture, and Francophone Studies.
The Charles P. Vaughan Chair in Economics was created by the Bucknell University Board of Trustees in the mid-1920s in recognition of Charles P. Vaughan’s sustained support of the University during times of extreme financial duress. The chair honors Charles P. Vaughan by promoting a faculty of superior teachers who maintain a high level of scholarship.
The David J. ’85 & Deborah West Professorship in Management was created by gifts from David J. West, Class of 1985, and Deborah West. Income from the Fund supports teaching and research in management.
The Ellen P. & Samuel L. Williams Endowed Music Professorship Fund was created in 2009 through a bequest gift from Ellen Peterson Williams, Class of 1919, to honor the time she spent at Bucknell and the memory of her husband, Samuel L. Williams. The fund creates two professorships: the Ellen P. Williams Professorship, awarded to a senior faculty member in music, and the Samuel L. Williams Professorship, awarded to a junior faculty member in music.