Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 38 faculty and will recognize them in a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn on May 18.
“I am delighted to recognize these faculty members with distinguished professorships,” said President Vincent E. Price. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence in research and education, advancing new ideas and discoveries that benefit society and inspire future generations.”
Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-established members of the Duke academic community and have also achieved distinction as creative scholars in their field or in their ability to transcend disciplines.
“I am excited and proud to recognize Duke’s newest distinguished professors, an exceptional group of scholars and teachers who are also esteemed colleagues,” said Provost Alec D. Gallimore. “I congratulate them on this achievement and thank them for their contributions to our remarkable academic community.”
During its February meeting, Duke University’s Board of Trustees approved the awarding of Distinguished Professorships to the following members of the faculty, effective July 1, 2026:
Manuel Adelino (Fuqua School of Business), Carey Family Distinguished Professor of Business Administration
Esen Karamursel Akpek (School of Medicine), Stephen and Frances Foster Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology
Andrew John Armstrong (School of Medicine), George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Cancer
Mustafa Shadi Rifaat Bashir (School of Medicine), James & Alice Chen Distinguished Professor in Radiology
Pablo Beramendi (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Newman Ivey White Distinguished Professor of Political Science
Debra Huffman Brandon (School of Nursing), Bessie Baker Distinguished Professor in Nursing
Jorn Coers (School of Medicine), Alter Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Immunology
Emily R. Derbyshire (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Pelham Wilder Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
John Everett Dolbow (Pratt School of Engineering), Fitzgerald S. Hudson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Scott D. Dyreng (Fuqua School of Business), David and Marsha Taylor Distinguished Professor of Business Administration
Sharon Fekrat (School of Medicine), Robert Machemer, MD, Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology
Wuwei Feng (School of Medicine), Disque D. Deane Distinguished Professor of Neurology
Bradley John Goldstein (School of Medicine), Duke School of Medicine Distinguished Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
Susan Nicole Hastings (School of Medicine), Florence McAlister Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Nicholas Scott Heaton (School of Medicine), Minnie Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Genetics
Paul B. Jaskot (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), France Family Distinguished Professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies
William Arthur Jiranek (School of Medicine), Duke Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Sven Eric Jordt (School of Medicine), Distinguished Professor of Anesthesiology
Kevin S. LaBar (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Robert L. Wilson Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Natalia Litchinitser (Pratt School of Engineering), Michael J. Fitzpatrick Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Goldis Malek (School of Medicine), Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology
Edmund Malesky (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Oscar L. Tang Family Distinguished Professor of Political Science
David McAdams (Fuqua School of Business), Robert A. Bandeen Distinguished Professor of Business Administration
Christopher Vincent Nicchitta (School of Medicine), James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology
Trudy G. Oliver (School of Medicine), George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Pharmacology
Jonathan Paul Piccini Sr. (School of Medicine), Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases
Lillian Beatrix Pierce (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Anne Firor Scott Distinguished Professor of Mathematics
Tonia Poteat (School of Nursing), Ruby L. Wilson Distinguished Professor in Nursing
Jerome P. Reiter (Trinity College of Arts & Sciences), Henry W. Newson Distinguished Professor of Statistical Science
Tatiana Segura (Pratt School of Engineering), Robert Plonsey Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Mari L. Shinohara (School of Medicine), Alter Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Immunology
Debra Lynn Silver (School of Medicine), Duke School of Medicine Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience
Catherine Ann Staton (School of Medicine), Catherine Wilfert Distinguished Professor of Emergency Medicine
Nanthia Suthana (School of Medicine), Carol Gram Deane Presidential Distinguished Professor in Neurosurgery
David M. Tobin (School of Medicine), Minnie Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Genetics
Joseph W. Turek (School of Medicine), Joseph W. and Dorothy W. Beard Distinguished Professor of Surgery
G. Greg Wang (School of Medicine), James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
One faculty member awarded a Distinguished Professorship that took effect September 1, 2025, will also be honored at the ceremony:
Aaron D. Franklin (Pratt School of Engineering), Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
For a complete list of Duke’s Distinguished Professors, please visit the Provost’s Office website.
