ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ

Dean of the Faculty

Welcome to ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ's Office of the Dean of the Faculty

Endowed Professorships

Endowed chairs (also known as endowed professorships at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ) serve as visible and permanent tributes to the people after whom the professorships are named.

Once appointed to named chairs, professors usually retain those titles for the remainder of their careers at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ. Their ongoing achievements continue to bring honor both to themselves and to those recognized in the names of the positions they hold. We are pleased to recognize the people who have endowed professorships named after them at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and to share their stories.

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A.A. Knowlton Professorship in Physics

Phillip Wertheimer ’48 established this chair in physics in 1973 to honor Ansel A. Knowlton [physics 1915–48]. A.A. “Tony” Knowlton taught at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ from 1915 to 1948. Following his retirement, he remained in Portland until his death in January 1957 at the age of 81. At that time, the Oregon Journal praised him, citing “his peculiar genius of taking ordinary students and making top-flight physicists out of them . . . he had that indefinable something which distinguishes a great teacher from a mere instructor.” In 1947, Knowlton received an unprecedented award for excellence in the teaching of physics from the Research Corporation. In 1951, the American Association of Physics Teachers, an organization for which he served as president in 1942, gave him the Oersted Medal. He was the author of a widely used textbook, General Physics for College Students. Not only was Tony Knowlton universally recognized for his professional abilities, but he was acknowledged as a capable golfer—and was runner-up in 1937 in the Oregon senior championships.

Alison Crocker serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s A.A. Knowlton Professor of Physics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Amgen/Roger M. Perlmutter Professorship in Chemical Biology

The Amgen/Perlmutter Professorship in Chemical Biology was created by Amgen to honor its former executive vice president Roger Perlmutter ’73. Perlmutter suggested ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ as the location of this professorship to honor the formative role science education at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ played in his evolution as a physician and medical researcher. The professorship seeks to honor faculty whose research and teaching occurs at the boundaries of biology and chemistry, the place of healing treatments that have animated Roger Perlmutter's career.

Jay Mellies serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Amgen-Perlmutter Professor of Biology.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Carl M. Stevens Economics Professorship

The Carl M. Stevens Economics Professorship was created by Laurence Abramson ’80 in 2023 to honor Carl M. Stevens ’42, a longtime ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ faculty member in economics [1954–90]. After graduating from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, Stevens served four years in the U.S. Navy, then earned an MA and PhD from Harvard. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral science at Yale University before joining the ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ faculty in 1954. Throughout his career he served on technical advisory groups for the U.S. Agency for International Development, as a consultant to the World Health Organization in Geneva, and as a member of the National Advisory Health Manpower Council of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, in addition to leadership roles in professional organizations. He published numerous articles and reports related to public health, health economics, and his work as a consultant for the international community.

Abramson completed ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ with a degree in economics in 1980, and secured an MBA at the University of Chicago with a focus on finance and health administration. After building a career in healthcare administration, Abramson moved into consulting and later founded the Abramson Group, a consultancy that advises health care services clients.

To reflect Stevens’s historic interests and Abramson’s work, the professorship will be awarded, when possible, to a professor with one or more of the following areas of expertise: 1) the Economics of Healthcare, 2) Labor Economics, 3) Finance, and/or 4) Development Economics.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Cornelia Marvin Pierce Professorship in American History and Institution

Cornelia Pierce is credited with laying the foundations of library services in Oregon. A native of Iowa who got her training in Illinois and Wisconsin, she was Oregon's first state librarian and served for 24 years. She then married the Democratic governor of Oregon, Walter Pierce, and served as his secretary in Washington, DC, when he was elected to the House of Representatives. When Mrs. Pierce died, she left a substantial legacy that created the Cornelia Marvin Pierce Professorship in honor of her husband, who died in 1953. There is a Cornelia Marvin Pierce Memorial Room in the library. Mrs. Pierce also bequeathed funds to ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ for a committee to complete and publish the memoirs of her husband and to Eastern Oregon College of Education for financial aid.

Jacqueline Dirks ’82 serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Cornelia Marvin Pierce Professor of History and Humanities.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Daniel B. Greenberg Professorship in Environmental Studies

The Daniel B. Greenberg Professorship in Environmental Studies was created in 2021 in memory of Daniel “Dan” B. Greenberg ’62. Greenberg served on ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ's board of trustees for more than 45 years and oversaw growth and transformation in every area of college operations. A ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Magazine article memorializing Greenberg described him as a titan for the college. His philanthropic leadership in collaboration with his wife, Susan Steinhauser, was instrumental to several essential initiatives, including the launch of the environmental studies program. This chair will support generations of talented teacher-scholars in this important field of endeavor and further Greenberg's remarkable legacy at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ.  

Chris Koski serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Daniel B. Greenberg Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies.

Division: History and Social Sciences; Mathematical and Natural Sciences

David Eddings Professorship in English Literature

Inspired by ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ literature professors such as Lloyd J. Reynolds [English 1929–69], best-selling fantasy author David Eddings ’54 created the David Eddings Professorship in English Literature in 2009 with a bequest. Eddings’ gift also established the David Eddings Scholarship for students majoring in English or foreign languages, provided support to the Eric V. Hauser Memorial Library to assist in the maintenance of his donated manuscripts and materials, and supported the college endowment. Said the self-effacing fantasy author in a 1997 interview with ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ magazine, “After [my readers] have finished with me and I don't challenge them any more, they can move on to somebody important like Homer or Milton.”

Nathalia King serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s David Eddings Professor of English and Humanities.

Division: Literature and Languages

David W. Brauer Professorship of Physics

This chair was established by David W. Brauer ’83, who majored in physics. After leaving ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, he moved to Japan, where he co-founded the company Paltek, which imports and distributes the semiconductors typically used in large telecom and networking equipment. The firm, which employs over 200 people, went public in Japan in July 1998. Brauer wrote to the first recipient, Robert Reynolds [physics 1963–2002, 2006–08], “I hope that on those occasions when it is appropriate to mention the chair, you will tell your students and future colleagues about one of your students who felt so strongly about ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and the physics department as to use his first major act of philanthropy to name the chair.”

Lucas Illing serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s David W. Brauer Professor of Physics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Dr. Arthur F. Scott Chemistry Professorship

The fund was initially established with many smaller gifts on behalf of Arthur F. Scott. Originally, the endowment supported “Scotty's” scholarly activities following his retirement in 1965. Arthur F. Scott was a ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ chemistry professor from 1923–1926. Later, he taught at the Rice Institute, returned to teach at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in 1937, and was department chair until he retired in 1965. In 1968, he raised $300,000 through private sources to build the ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Reactor. Scott briefly served as president of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, from 1942 to 1945. In 1977, ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ honored him with the Vollum Award for Distinguished Accomplishment in Science and Technology. The chemistry building was named for Scott after he died.

Kelly Chacón serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Arthur F. Scott Associate Professor of Chemistry.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Dr. Lester B. Lave Professorship of Economics

The Dr. Lester B. Lave Professorship in Economics was established in 2011 with a bequest. “You can try to change the entire world a small amount, or a small part of the world greatly,” Lester Lave ’60 once said. “I think the latter is more beneficial.” An economist whose visionary approach to energy and pollution issues secured his international renown, Lave passed away in 2011. His gift of more than $2.5 million to the economics department benefitted a discipline that was rapidly growing at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ at the time the gift was made. 

Denise Hare serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Dr. Lester B. Lave Professor of Economics.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Elizabeth C. Ducey Professorship in Asian Studies

The Elizabeth C. Ducey Professorship in Asian Studies was established in 1985 with what was then the largest annuity trust in the college's history. The chair was created with the broad purpose of supporting academic efforts in Asian or Pacific Rim studies. Elizabeth Ducey, a graduate of Smith College, had a longtime interest in ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ. Once a staff assistant to Senator Richard Neuberger of Oregon, she pursued progressive policy and social issues throughout her life. She also made substantial gifts to ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in the 1960s and 70s for the purpose of helping students become involved in public affairs and public policy analysis. 

Charlene Makley serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Elizabeth C. Ducey Professor of Anthropology.

Division: History and Social Sciences

F.L. Griffin Professorship of Mathematics

The original announcement creating the F.L. Griffin Professorship of Mathematics in 1956 stated: “To honor Dr. Griffin and to fulfill a great need at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, the professorship has been established to provide a specific endowment, the income from which will be used to cover the salary of a distinguished professor of mathematics.” This chair was augmented with many small gifts and a few larger contributions over the decades following 1956. Frank L. Griffin was the first faculty member selected to teach at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ. William Trufant Foster, the first ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ president, hired him away from Williams College in 1911. Griffin taught mathematics at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ until 1952, returning in 1954 to serve as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ president for two years. He was a renowned instructor in his field and the author of seven textbooks.

Angélica M. Osorno serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s F.L. Griffin Associate Professor of Mathematics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

George A. Hay Economics Professorship

The George A. Hay Economics Professorship was established in 1989. Richard Wollenberg ’75, ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ trustee, pledged a significant gift if ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ could secure the remainder to establish the chair in memory of George A. Hay [economics 1956–83]. The Hay Steering Committee raised a total of 137 gifts to endow the fund. George A. Hay received his PhD from M.I.T. in 1956 and joined ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ faculty that year as a professor of economics. He was director of admissions from 1958 to 1964, vice president and treasurer 1973–79, executive vice president 1979–80, and acting president 1980–81. His work took him to places such as Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Peru, and Indonesia, and this firsthand knowledge of diverse economies gave him a powerful edge in his undergraduate instruction. 

Jon Rork serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s George A. Hay Professor of Economics.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Howard Vollum Science Professorship

Howard Vollum was born in May 1913 in Portland and graduated from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ with a BA in physics in 1936. He helped found the company Tektronix, Inc., which has become the foremost manufacturer of precision oscilloscopes in the world. He died in February 1986. There are several funds carrying the Vollum name, demonstrating his impact across ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ. These include: 1) Vollum Science Chair, 2) C. Howard Vollum Memorial Scholarship, 3) Vollum Funds for Entertaining, 4) Vollum Teaching Equipment Fund, 5) Vollum Science Award, and 6) Vollum Funds for Faculty Research.

Sarah Schaack serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Howard Vollum Professor of Biology.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

James A. Borders Professorship of Physics

The James A. Borders Professorship of Physics was created by James A. Borders ’63 and Deborah A. Borders. This chair memorializes Jim Borders, recognizing his achievements as a physicist and the role that ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ played in his intellectual life. After graduating from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, Borders earned a doctorate in physics from the University of Illinois. He had a distinguished 27-year career at Sandia National Laboratory, where he worked on projects related to nuclear weapons development, including energetic ion analysis of materials. In addition to this chair, Jim and Deborah Borders generously supported ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ students through the James Borders Physics Research Fellowship and the Kenneth E. Davis Scholarship, which honors his thesis adviser.

Joel Franklin ’97 serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s James A. Borders Professor of Physics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Jane Neuberger Goodsell Professorship in Art History

This chair was designated as part of the Cooley-Gray Art Department Endowment. Jane Neuberger Goodsell ’42, for whom the chair is named, was the award-winning author of several books for children and a nationally syndicated columnist. Goodsell majored in English literature at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and began her writing career while raising three daughters. In addition to her column “From Soup to Nonsense,” which was syndicated in the national labor press, Goodsell published her first children's book, Katie's Magic Glasses, in 1965. Her later books include Toby's Toe, Not a Good Word About Anybody, and children's biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt, the Mayo brothers, and Hawaii senator Daniel Inouye. The latter won an award from the National Council for Social Studies.

Kris Cohen serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Jane Neuberger Goodsell Professor of Art History and Humanities.

Division: Arts

John B. and Elizabeth M. Yeon Professorship of Spanish and Humanities

Norman LeRoy Yeon ’37 contributed an estate gift to support the humanities at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in memory of his parents, Jon B. and Elizabeth M. Yeon. Norm Yeon, a private man and a lover of fine art, classical music, and nature, earned his bachelor’s degree in literature from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in 1937. He pursued graduate studies in fine arts at the Sorbonne and in sociology at Columbia University. After serving in the US Army Signal Corps in World War II, he returned to Portland and opened Crossroads, a boutique featuring artistic works he selected in Europe and India. He eventually closed the business and moved to San Francisco, pursuing an interest in real estate. Yeon’s estate gift, along with his substantial gifts to ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s annual fund, seats him firmly in a family tradition of philanthropy. His mother’s family gave land to the Congregation of the Holy Cross, which established what is now the University of Portland. His father, a lumber magnate and civic figure, oversaw construction of the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway and built the Yeon Building in downtown Portland.

Elizabeth Drumm serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s John and Elizabeth Yeon Professor of Spanish and Humanities.

Division: Literature and Languages

John C. Pock Professorship of Sociology

This chair was created by Matthew P. Bergman ’86, former ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ trustee and the founder and a managing partner of the law firm Bergman Draper Oslund Udo. This chair is awarded with first preference to a faculty member within the Division of History and the Social Sciences, with further preference to a faculty member with a specialty in innovative social science methodology and theoretically based empirical social research. The professorship, and its first awarding preference, is intended to honor the career and specialty of John C. Pock [sociology 1955–98], emeritus professor of sociology at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and Matt Bergman's former teacher and collaborator.

Marc Schneiberg serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s John C. Pock Professor of Sociology.

Division: History and Social Sciences

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professorship

This professorship was established in 1981 with a grant from the . The foundation made 25 grants to liberal arts colleges and universities that year totaling $15.6 million. The purpose of the grant was to bring new and promising faculty members to the institution.

Ann Delehanty serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of French and Humanities.

Joshua C. Taylor Professorship in Art History

The Joshua C. Taylor Professorship in Art History and Humanities was designated as part of the Cooley-Gray Art Department Endowment. Joshua C. Taylor ’39, preeminent scholar with a flair for teaching, served as director of the National Collection of Fine Arts (now the Smithsonian American Art Museum) in Washington, DC, transforming it into a dynamic center of intellectual ferment. He inspired thousands of students to deepen their connection with art, and wrote a bestseller on art criticism that influenced a generation. “The mind and life of man is characterized not by progress but by accumulation,” Taylor once said. “That knowledge is an ever-widening circle, not a path. Thus the past preserved exists not as a memory, but as a present, palpable reality.”

Dana E. Katz serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Joshua C. Taylor Professor of Art History and Humanities.

Division: Arts

Judith Tyle Massee Professorship of Dance

The Judith Tyle Massee Professorship of Dance, known informally as the Judy Massee Chair, was created in 2020. Memorializing Judith Tyle Massee, beloved professor of dance [1968–98], this chair also recognizes the longstanding importance of dance at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and its role in the liberal arts. Following in the tradition of Professor Massee, the anonymous donors have been champions of the performing arts at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ. This included supporting the construction of the Performing Arts Building, which brought the music, dance, and theatre departments together under one roof and anchored the launch of the dance major.

Carla Mann ’81 serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Judy Massee Professor of Dance.

Division: Arts

Katharine Piggott Professorship in Mathematics

The Katharine Piggott Professorship in Mathematics was created by ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Koch ’82 with a match from the Gray Alumni Challenge. Katharine Piggott ’15 was the first woman to graduate from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ with a BA in mathematics. She became interested in mathematics during her first year at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and did her major work under Frank Loxley Griffin [mathematics 1911–52]. She was born on November 12, 1890, and died on December 3, 1963.

James Pommersheim serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Katharine Piggott Professor of Mathematics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Laurens N. Ruben Professorship in Biology

Professor Laurens N. Ruben [biology 1955–92] had an international reputation for his work as an immunologist and for his research in immune deficiencies. His father, electrochemist Samuel Ruben, made the donation to endow the chair in his son's name. Samuel invented the dry electrolytic condenser, which is used in almost every automobile starting system. He was also responsible for at least 300 other patented inventions, including the alkaline battery. He died in 1988, survived by his wife, Rena Kock Ruben, and his son, Laurens.

Keith Karoly serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Laurens N. Ruben Professor of Biology.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Professorship in Bioinformatics

Margaret Oakley Dayhoff was a biochemist and bioinformatics trailblazer whose work laid the foundation for modern computational biology. Renowned for developing innovative methods to analyze protein and nucleic acid sequences, she played a crucial role in the early use of computers to study molecular evolution. Dayhoff is perhaps best known for creating the first comprehensive protein sequence database and developing the one-letter amino acid code still used today. Her contributions revolutionized the field, enabling scientists to compare genetic information across species and advancing our understanding of evolutionary biology. This professorship was created by a group of generous donors and is named in Dayhoff's honor to recognize her lasting impact on science while supporting continued excellence in research and education.

Anna Ritz serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Associate Professor of Bioinformatics.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Margaret Rosemary Weitkamp Professorship of Humanities

Margaret Scharle serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ's Margaret Rosemary Weitkamp Chair of Humanities.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Margret Geselbracht Professorship of Chemistry

Created with a $3 million gift by an anonymous donor, this chair memorializes the career of Professor Maggie Geselbracht [chemistry 1993–2014]. Geselbracht joined the chemistry department in 1993 as the only female chemist, and ultimately became the first woman to be tenured in the department. She touched many students’ lives through her courses in general and inorganic chemistry and her research. The Geselbracht Chair honors an inspiring teacher, committed mentor, and exceptional researcher.

Miriam Bowring serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Margret Geselbracht Associate Professor of Chemistry.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Moe and Izetta Tonkon Judaic Studies Professorship

Moe and Izetta Tonkon established this professorship in 1988, and the college named it in their honor in 1990. Moe served as an active member of the board of trustees from 1951 to 1966 and as its chairman from 1960 to 1963. He assumed emeritus status in 1966, a position he held until his death in 1984. Born in Russia, Moe attended ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ from 1924 to 1926 and went on to graduate from Northwestern School of Law. He founded one of Portland's largest and most prestigious law firms, Tonkon Torp LLP, and he was the first Jewish member of the Arlington Club, University Club, and Waverly Country Club in Portland. He considered the pursuit of excellence at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ to be an end in itself. Izetta played an active role in advancing the philanthropic priorities that she shared with her husband. She attended the University of Washington, where she studied the fine arts. After marrying in 1948, Izetta was a homemaker and lived in Portland for more than 50 years.

Katja Garloff serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Moe and Izetta Tonkon Professor of Judaic Studies and Humanities.

Division: Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, and Linguistics; Literature and Languages

Omar and Althea Dwyer Hoskins Professorship in Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Humanities

Omar F. Hoskins ’35 established the Omar and Althea Dwyer Hoskins Professorship in Classical Studies in 1987. This professorship seeks to honor a faculty member who has demonstrated an unquestioned excellence as a teacher. In particular, Hoskins specified that the holder of the Hoskins Professorship of Classical Studies should be well-versed and learned in Greek and Latin.

Ellen Millender serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Omar and Althea Hoskins Professor of Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Humanities.

Division: Literature and Languages

Patricia and Clifford Lunneborg Professorship of Psychology

The Patricia and Clifford Lunneborg Professorship of Psychology was established in 2010 with a bequest. Cliff Lunneborg attended ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ for two years before transferring to the University of Washington, where he earned a BS, MS, and PhD in psychology. He married Patricia Wells, a fellow graduate student. In 1962, he joined the psychology department at the University of Washington, adding a joint appointment in the department of statistics in 1979. Cliff wrote well over 100 articles and completed four textbooks. He stated in 2004 that a ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ education introduced him to intellectual life and provided him sufficient confidence to pursue a career in academia. His classmates, who were “lively, curious, and demanding,” remained a continuing source of inspiration to the end of his life. Over the years, Pat became a widely published academic who taught field courses on careers in psychology. She served as a professor in the University of Washington’s department of psychology where she introduced a women's studies program, a pioneering effort. Following her retirement from UW, she began to write books that focused on men and women and the choices they make in life and work. Pat also had a special interest in the work of women police.

Kathy Oleson serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Patricia and Clifford Lunneborg Professor of Psychology.

Division: Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, and Linguistics

Reginald F. Arragon Professorship in the Humanities

The Reginald F. Arragon Professorship in the Humanities was created by James C. March ’77 and Melissa March. After attending ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, March studied the economics of information at Stanford University. He went on to found WJM technologies, a company that developed tools to detect bank fraud. This chair memorializes Rex Arragon, a beloved professor of history and the humanities at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ [1923–74].

Jan Mieszkowski serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Reginald F. Arragon Professor of German and Humanities.

Division: Literature and Languages

Richard E. Crandall Professorship of Computer Science

Established with anonymous support in 2015, this chair reflects a fundraising effort to celebrate Richard Crandall’s legacy on campus as well as his career as an intellectual visionary, polymath, and true academic. Professor Richard E. Crandall ’69 [physics 1978–2012] was a professor, a physicist, a computer scientist, and an inventor with a wide scope of intellectual accomplishments. From the rings of Saturn to the hunt for prime numbers to the circuitry of the iPhone, there was no limit to his curiosity—or to his appetite for discovery. He held 11 patents, authored six books, and wrote scores of scholarly articles on a vast range of subjects, but his signal achievements lay in experimental mathematics—an emerging field he helped to define.

James D. Fix serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Richard E. Crandall Professor of Computer Science.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Richard F. Scholz Professorship in History

The Richard F. Scholz Professorship in History was first awarded in 1937. Richard Scholz was the second president of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, serving from 1921 until his death in 1924. He organized academic departments into four divisions—literature and language; history and social science; mathematics and natural science; and philosophy, religion, and psychology—to encourage intellectual relationships among the faculty based on common interests. (Later, the arts would become ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ's fifth academic division and linguistics would be added to philosophy, religion, and psychology.) Scholz held a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin. He was a Rhodes Scholar and built a career as a history professor before joining ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ as president in April 1921.

David Garrett serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Richard F. Scholz Professor of History and Humanities.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Robert H. and Blanche Day Ellis Professorship of Political Science and Humanities

This chair was originally established in 1959 by Robert H. and Blanche Day Ellis as a fund to endow visiting lectures in the social and natural sciences. In 1991, their three sons, Henry Day Ellis ’34, Robert H. Ellis Jr. ’37, and Frederick Eugene Ellis Sr. ’38, added to the fund to make it a professorship in memory of their parents, confirming that it was to support research in political philosophy and political economics.

Peter J. Steinberger serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Robert H. and Blanche Day Ellis Professor of Political Science and Humanities.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Roger M. Perlmutter Professorship in Biological Sciences

The Roger M. Perlmutter Professorship in Biological Sciences was created by the Merck Foundation in 2021. This chair honors longtime ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ trustee Roger Perlmutter ’73 on the occasion of his retirement as executive vice president of Merck Research Laboratories. The chair helps anchor instruction in biology at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ while contributing to the legacy of one of the college’s most important leaders.

Suzy Renn serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Roger M. Perlmutter Professor of Biology.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Roger M. Perlmutter Professorship in Computer Science and Statistics

The Roger M. Perlmutter Professorship in Computer Science and Statistics was established in 2022 by Roger M. Perlmutter ’73, a distinguished immunologist, pharmaceutical executive, and former chairman of the ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Board of Trustees. This professorship supports data science, including computer science and statistics, and is part of a broader effort to provide excellent teaching in computational methods across disciplines. Perlmutter’s groundbreaking career—spanning academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research—has shaped fields ranging from immunology to drug development. His leadership and generosity ensure that ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ faculty have the resources to equip students with essential computational skills in an increasingly data-driven world.

Adam Groce serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Roger M. Perlmutter Associate Professor of Computer Science.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

Ronald A. Laing Professorship in Mathematics and Natural Sciences

The Ronald A. Laing Professorship in Mathematics and Natural Sciences was established in 2023 with an estate gift. The chair honors Ronald A. Laing ’56, professor of ophthalmology and physiology at Boston University School of Medicine and founder of Bio-Optics International. After graduating from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ with a degree in physics, Laing went on to secure master’s and doctorate degrees from Rice University. Laing was a stalwart supporter of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and considered the institution one of his children.

Kara Cerveny serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Ronald A. Laing Professor of Biology.

Division: Mathematical and Natural Sciences

R.P. Wollenberg Professorship of Music

The R.P. Wollenberg Professorship of Music was created by the ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Board of Trustees to honor one of the college's most generous and steadfast leaders. Richard “Dick” Wollenberg, president and CEO of Longview Fibre Company, was a trustee for more than 40 years. He also had a strong interest in music—he played seven instruments and performed with the Southwest Washington Symphony. Wollenberg's son, Richard H. Wollenberg, graduated from ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in 1975 and joined the board of trustees in 1997.

Mark Burford serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s R.P. Wollenberg Professor of Music.

Division: Arts

Ruth C. Greenberg Professorship of American Indian Studies

The Ruth C. Greenberg Professorship in American Indian Studies was created with a bequest to ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ from Ruth Greenberg. Ruth was an artist, conchologist, and lifelong traveller who sculpted in wood, traveled by canoe in the South Pacific, and ran the Tidepool Gallery in Malibu. A generous supporter of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, she followed the college's proposal to designate this chair. Her husband, Mayer, was trustee of the college from 1971 until his death in 1974. Her son, Daniel B. Greenberg ’62, served on ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s board of trustees for 45 years and together with his wife, Susan Steinhauser, left an indelible mark on ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Stanley H. Cohn Professorship in Economics

The Stanley H. Cohn Professorship in Economics was created in 2006 by Stanley Cohn ’47. Cohn entered ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ in 1940, but his education was interrupted in November 1942 when he enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and resumed his ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ education that same year. Cohn earned a PhD from the University of Chicago in 1952. He enjoyed a long, productive career as an economist and university professor with a focus on economic development in the Soviet Union. He was professor of economics at the State University of New York at Binghamton and, after retirement, was a visiting professor at ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ.

Noelwah Netusil serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Stanley H. Cohn Professor of Economics.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Thomas Lamb Eliot Professorship of Religion and Humanities

The Thomas Lamb Eliot Memorial Fund for Religion was established in 1953 by his son, William Greenleaf Eliot II. Thomas Lamb Eliot was the head of the founding board of trustees of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ and served as a trustee from 1911 to 1925. Following in his father's footsteps, William Eliot was a ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ trustee from 1925 to 1941. The endowment supports religious interests and studies of the students, faculty, and community of ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ.

Kristin Scheible serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Thomas Lamb Eliot Professor of Religion and Humanities.

Division: Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, and Linguistics

Thormund A. Miller & Walter Mintz Professorship in Economics

The Thormund A. Miller and Walter Mintz Professorship in Economics was created in 2002. Walter Mintz ’50 and his wife, Sandra, created this professorship with fellow trustee Thormund Miller ’41 and his wife, Hannah. Mintz, a 1950 economics graduate, was a founding partner of the investment firm Cumberland Associates in New York. He was a member of the ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ Board of Trustees for more than 30 years and was the first ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ graduate to serve as the board chairman. He was also chairman of the Campaign for ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, which launched in October 1995. After he died, his wife Sandra succeeded him as a member of the board of trustees and served from 2005 to 2016, including terms on the Executive Committee and the Trustee Campaign Steering Committee for the Centennial Campaign. In 2016, she became a trustee emerita. Miller was an emeritus ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ trustee and a retired vice president, director, and general counsel for Southern Pacific Transportation Co. While stationed in New York during World War II, he met Hannah Alma Flansburg; they were married for 56 years and raised two daughters.

Division: History and Social Sciences

Walter Mintz Professorship in Ancient Mediterranean Studies

The Walter Mintz Professorship was established in 2005 with many gifts from alumni and friends in memory of Walter Mintz ’50. Mintz was a retired founding partner of the investment firm Cumberland Associates in New York. A member of the board of trustees for more than 30 years, he also served as chairman of the Campaign for ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ, which launched in October 1995. Mintz, a 1950 graduate in economics, was the first ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ alumnus to become chairman of the board of trustees.

Nigel J. Nicholson serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Walter Mintz Professor of Greek, Latin, and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Humanities.

Division: Literature and Languages

William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professorship

The William R. Kenan Jr. Professorship was established in 1978 by the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust. According to the trust, the chair should support a “scholar-teacher whose enthusiasm for learning, commitment to teaching, and sincere personal interest in students will broaden the learning process and make an effective contribution to [ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ's] undergraduate community.”

Jennifer Corpus serves as ºìÌÒÊÓÆµ’s Kenan Professor of English and Humanities.