Two engineering professors are members of the first cohort of the Chancellor Faculty Fellows program.
Scott Guelcher, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and associate professor of biomedical engineering. Guelcher researches the design, synthesis and characterization of polymeric biomaterials for bone tissue engineering.
Sharon Weiss, associate professor of electrical engineering and associate professor of physics. Weiss’ research involves photonics, optoelectronics, nanoscience and technology, and optical properties of materials.
The inaugural class of 15 faculty members has representation from across the humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and the clinical sciences as well as engineering, law and music.
“The strong commitment to education, discovery and care demonstrated by these faculty members is having an enormous impact on Vanderbilt and its mission of serving society,” Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said. “Already proven leaders and innovators in their fields, we have chosen to further invest in them at this critical point in their careers to ensure they have ample resources and opportunities to build their own body of work and to serve as outstanding mentors to postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and undergraduates.”
The faculty members will hold the title of Chancellor Faculty Fellow for two years and be supported by an unrestricted allocation of $40,000 a year for two fiscal years to begin July 1, 2015. The funds can be used to support innovative research, scholarship and creative expression activities that will further propel the career of the awardee.
The Chancellor Faculty Fellows will also meet as a group during the course of their awards to foster exchange of research interests and build a broader intellectual community that advances trans-institutional scholarship.
“These faculty members are distinguished by their excellence and scholarship,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan Wente said. “I am tremendously proud of their accomplishments and look forward to continuing to support their career growth at Vanderbilt. They are key to bringing to reality the goals and aspirations that are outlined in the Academic Strategic Plan.”
The Chancellor Faculty Fellows Program was launched in September 2014 to support outstanding faculty who have recently received tenure. The TIPs Council, which is co-chaired by Vice Provost for Academic and Strategic Affairs John Geer and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Larry Marnett, reviewed and made final recommendations on the more than 60 applications received.
Contact:
Brenda Ellis, (615) 343-6314
Brenda.Ellis@Vanderbilt.edu
Twitter @VUEngineering