Distinguished Professorships

SUNY Distinguished Faculty Rank programs encourage ongoing commitment to excellence, kindle intellectual vibrancy, elevate the standards of instruction, and enrich contributions to public service. They demonstrate the State University’s pride and gratitude for the consummate professionalism, the groundbreaking scholarship, the exceptional instruction, and the breadth and significance of service contributions of its faculty. Conferred solely by the State University Board of Trustees, appointment constitutes a promotion to the State University’s highest academic rank.

Distinguished Professor

The Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon faculty having achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within the individual’s chosen field through significant contributions to the research and scholarship, or through artistic performance or achievement in the fine and performing arts.

  • 2022 D. Jeffrey Over, Distinguished Professor, Geological Sciences
  • 2021 Avan Jassawalla, Distinguished Professor, School of Business
  • 2020 Robert Goeckel, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and International Relations
  • 2016 Lynette Bosch-Burroughs, Distinguished Professor of Art History
  • 2015 Michael Oberg, Distinguished Professor of History
  • 2001 David Meisel, Distinguished Professor of Physics
  • 1999 Robert Beason, Distinguished Professor of Biology
  • 1995 Rita Gollin, Distinguished Professor of English
  • 1995 Srinivasa Leelama, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics
  • 1973 Walter Harding, Distinguished University Professor of English

Distinguished Service Professor

The Distinguished Service Professorship is conferred upon instructional faculty having achieved a distinguished reputation for service not only to the campus and the University, but also to the community, the State of New York or even the nation, by sustained effort in the application of intellectual skills drawing from the candidate’s scholarly research interests to issues of public concern. It is bestowed on faculty in any of the disciplines or fields of study.

  • 2020 Gerard Floriano, Distinguished Service Professor of Music
  • 2012 Linda House, Distinguished Service Professor of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
  • 2011 Dennis Showers, Distinguished Service Professor, School of Education
  • 2009 Mary Ellen Zuckerman, Distinguished Service Professor of Business
  • 2006 Daniel Strang, Distinguished Service Professor of Economics (School of Business)
  • 1998 James Walker, Distinguished Service Professor, School of the Arts
  • 1997 Charles Bailey, Distinguished Service Professor of History
  • 1995 Karen Duffy, Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology
  • 1994 Wayne Mahood, Distinguished Service Professor of Education
  • 1993 Robert Isgro, Distinguished Service Professor of Music
  • 1991 Richard Young, Distinguished Service Professor of Geological Sciences
  • 1985 William Small, Distinguished Service Professor of Mathematics
  • 1985 Martin Fausold, Distinguished Service Professor of History
  • 1982 John Paul, Distinguished Service Professor of Speech Pathology & Aud.
  • 1982 Richard Stolper, Distinguished Service Professor of Educational Studies
  • 1980 Bertha V.B. Lederer, Distinguished Service Professor of Fine Arts
  • 1980 Gifford Orwen, Distinguished Service Professor of Foreign Languages
  • 1979 Harold Starbuck, Distinguished Service Professor of Speech Pathology & Aud.
  • 1978 Kathryn Beck, Distinguished Service Professor of History
  • 1976 Myrtle Merritt, Distinguished Service Professor of Health, Phys. Ed. & Recreation
  • 1975 Hans Gottschalk, Distinguished Service Professor of English

Distinguished Teaching Professor

The Distinguished Teaching Professorship is conferred upon instructional faculty for outstanding teaching competence at the graduate, undergraduate, or professional levels. Teaching mastery is to be consistently demonstrated over multiple years at the institution where the Distinguished Teaching Professorship is bestowed.

  • 2022 Intekhab Alam, Distinguished Teaching Professor, School of Business
  • 2019 Harry Howe, Distinguished Teaching Professor, School of Business
  • 2018 Beverly Evans, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Languages and Literatures
  • 2017 Charles Freeman, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics
  • 2016 Christopher Leary, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics
  • 2014 Ganie DeHart, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Psychology
  • 2013 Wendy Pogozelski, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry
  • 2012 Beth McCoy, Distinguished Teaching Professor of English
  • 2011 Kurt Fletcher, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics and Astronomy
  • 2010 David Geiger, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry
  • 2009 Olympia Nicodemi, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics
  • 2007 Stephen Padalino, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics
  • 2003 Robert O'Donnell, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Biology
  • 2003 Robert Owens, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Communicative Disorders
  • 2000 Stephen West, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics
  • 1998 Gary Towsley, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics
  • 1997 Eugene Stelzig, Distinguished Teaching Professor of English
  • 1995 Jerry Reber, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics
  • 1990 James Willey, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
  • 1989 Ron Herzman, Distinguished Teaching Professor of English
  • 1987 Margaret Matlin, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Psychology
  • 1984 William Cook, Distinguished Teaching Professor of History
  • 1979 William Edgar, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy
  • 1975 Rose Alent, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Foreign Languages
  • 1974 Richard F. Smith, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry
  • 1973 Robert Sells, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics

Distinguished Librarian

The Distinguished Librarian is conferred upon librarians whose contributions have been transformational in creating a new information environment by providing access to information, sharing or networking information resources, and fostering information literacy. The Distinguished Librarian rank honors and promotes the achievement of personal excellence, groundbreaking professional progress, and wide-ranging benefit to the academic community.

Other Awards