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100 talents for our next 100 years
Endowed academic chairs help the University of Miami attract, retain, and recognize excellence in research, scholarship, policy, practice, and artistic creation. Thanks to donor generosity, we are nearly three-quarters of the way to our goal of funding 100 new endowed chairs by 2025. • An endowed chair is one of the highest academic honors an institution can bestow. Endowed chairs enable scholars to advance groundbreaking research, make life-changing discoveries, and contribute innovative solutions to society’s most daunting challenges—now and in the future. • Featured are five distinguished faculty members named to endowed chairs in the 2021-22 academic year.
Ved Chirayath, an award-winning researcher and associate professor in the department of ocean sciences, was named the G. Unger Vetlesen Professor of Earth Sciences at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Chirayath works at the intersection of earth sciences, astrophysics, aeronautics, engineering, and optics. His research focuses on inventing, developing, and testing sensing technologies for studying the natural world.
The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation is a longtime benefactor of the Rosenstiel School, having also supported the Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Research building, the Helicopter Observation Platform, and various other climate-related research projects. Gregor Eberli, the Robert N. Ginsburg Endowed Chair in Marine Geosciences
Professor Robert Nathan Ginsburg devoted nearly half a century to teaching marine geology at the Rosenstiel School. Before he passed away in 2017, Ginsburg honored his life’s work by establishing an endowment to enable future scientists and researchers to illuminate discoveries in marine geology.
Gregor Eberli, the director of the Rosenstiel School’s Comparative Sedimentology Laboratory and professor in the department of marine geosciences, will further his mentor’s legacy as the Robert N. Ginsburg Endowed Chair in Marine Geosciences.
“With this endowment, [Ginsburg] sort of looks after me in his afterlife, and I’m so grateful to him for that,” Eberli said.
for our next 100 years
C. Ola Landgren is a world-renowned multiple myeloma researcher who also serves as chief of the Myeloma Program and Riney Family Multiple Myeloma Research Program, leader of the Experimental Therapies Program, and co-leader of the Tumor Biology Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Miller School of Medicine.
Dr. Landgren was recently named the Paul J. DiMare Endowed Chair in Immunotherapy to advance his groundbreaking research integrating immunotherapy into the development of curative treatment strategies for multiple myeloma and other cancers.
Philanthropists Paul and Swanee DiMare are longtime supporters of the University, giving generously to athletics, the arts, business, scientific research, and medical education over the years. Erin Kobetz, the John K. and Judy H. Schulte Senior Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
John K. Schulte, B.A. ’54, and his wife, Judy, arranged to give much of their estate to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Miller School of Medicine in support of research and education after their passing. John passed away in 2018 and Judy in 2016.
Part of their generous gift established the John K. and Judy H. Schulte Senior Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. The chair was recently awarded to Erin Kobetz, vice provost for research and scholarship; professor in the departments of medicine, public health sciences, and obstetrics and gynecology; program leader for the Cancer Control Research Program; director of the Jay Weiss Institute for Health Equity; senior associate dean for Health Disparity; and Sylvester’s associate director for population science and cancer disparity. Gerard Schwarz, the SchwarzBenaroya Endowed Chair in Conducting and Orchestral Activities
Internationally recognized for his moving performances, innovative programming, and extensive catalog of recordings, Gerard Schwarz is distinguished professor of music, conducting, and orchestral studies at the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music, and music director of the Frost Symphony Orchestra.
Schwarz also serves as music director of the All-Star Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival, Palm Beach Symphony, and Mozart Orchestra of New York, and is conductor laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and conductor emeritus of the Mostly Mozart Festival. His accolades include Emmy® Awards, GRAMMY® nominations, ASCAP Awards, and the Ditson Conductor’s Award, as well as numerous honorary doctorates.
