Contact: Tom Oswald, University Relations, (517) 355-2281, oswald@msu.edu

6/17/2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Ten Michigan State University professors have been named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their achievements in the classroom, laboratory and community.

The designations, recommended by President Lou Anna Kimsey Simon, were approved today by the MSU Board of Trustees.

This is among the highest honors that can be bestowed on a faculty member by the university. Those selected for the title have been recognized nationally and internationally for the importance of their teaching, research and public service achievements.

Individuals holding the professorship will receive, in addition to their salary, a stipend of $5,000 per year for five years to support professional activities.

The newly named University Distinguished Professors are:

• Stephen Boyd, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

• Joan Ferrini-Mundy, departments of Mathematics and Teacher Education; College of Natural Science Division of Science and Mathematics Education

• John Frost, Department of Chemistry

• Katherine Gross, Department of Plant Biology; Kellogg Biological Station

• John Kaneene, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences; Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health; and the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center

• Jianguo Liu, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

• David Morrissey, Department of Chemistry; National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

• Robert Myers, Department of Agricultural Economics

• Michael Pressley, departments of Teacher Education and Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education

• Yong Zhao, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education

These 10 individuals bring to 94 the number of faculty members who have been named University Distinguished Professor since the designation was established by the university and approved by the MSU Board of Trustees in 1989.