Seven Faculty Named 2023 Bass Chairs

Seven faculty members have been named 2023 Bass Chairs and inducted into the Bass Society of Fellows in recognition of their demonstrated excellence in both undergraduate teaching and research.

The group was celebrated Monday evening during a reception at the J.B. Duke Hotel.

The chairs were created in 1996 when Anne T. and Robert Bass gave $10 million as a matching gift to encourage Duke alumni, parents and friends to endow the positions. Candidates are nominated by faculty and evaluated by a faculty committee for having achieved “true excellence in both research and teaching” and being good university citizens.

Bass professors hold their named chairs for five-year terms and then become lifetime members of the Bass Society of Fellows.

The newly named Bass Chairs are:

TRINITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Sarah Gaither, Nicolas J. and Theresa M. Leonardy Associate Professor in psychology and neuroscience.

Esther Kim Lee, Francis Hill Fox Professor in Theater Studies, International Comparative Studies, and History, and Director of Asian American & Diaspora Studies.

Kevin Welsher, Robert R. and Katherine B. Penn Associate Professor in Chemistry.

PRATT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Sina Farsiu: Anderson-Rupp Professor inBiomedical Engineering, Ophthalmology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science.

Michael Lynch, W. H. Gardner, Jr. Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering

Mark Borsuk: James L. and Elizabeth M. Vincent Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

SANFORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

Manoj Mohanan: Creed C. Black Professor in Public Policy