09/08/2026
By Lynne Cossman
The Office of the Provost is accepting nominations for the 2026–2029 Distinguished University Professor Award. Nominations will be accepted through Oct. 8, 2026, by 5 p.m.
This annual award is dedicated to acknowledging the work of our most esteemed and accomplished faculty members and celebrating the values of academic excellence that we share as a community. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge significant accomplishments achieved over the course of a successful academic career, rather than to identify junior faculty who have potential for future accomplishments.
Nominations
Any UMass Lowell faculty member may nominate a tenured full professor for the award. Each nomination must consist of the nominee’s CV and a two- to three-page letter justifying the nomination. Self-nominations are permitted.
Criteria
Criteria for selection will mirror the criteria for promotion to full professor:
- Exemplary teaching, as attested by faculty chair reports and student evaluations;
- Outstanding research productivity, as documented by scholarly publications, external grants and/or sponsored research that have generated professional acclaim;
- Extraordinary service that has advanced the university mission of outreach to support the economic, social, cultural, health and/or education development of the region.
Selection
Per the Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) contract, the selection committee will consist of:
- The provost (or designee)
- The MSP president (or designee)
- A third person selected annually by agreement between the provost and MSP president
Individuals nominated but not selected in a given year will retain active consideration without need for renomination for three years.
Conditions
The individual selected as University Professor will receive an annual salary supplement of $10,000 as well as one course reduction for each semester during the term of the appointment. The individual’s department will also receive an annual allocation of $10,000 to cover the approximate $5,000 cost of a replacement adjunct instructor each semester. The individual selected must agree to deliver a university-wide lecture during the first year of the appointment.
Key dates and submission
- Deadline for nominations: Oct. 8, 2026, by 5 p.m.
- Submit nomination materials to:Shaima_Ragab@uml.edu
- Notification of winner: End of October 2026
Previous and Current University Professors
- Ardeth Thawnghmung, Political Science, 2025–2028
- Supriya Chakrabarti, Physics & Applied Physics, 2024–2027
- Sandra Lim, English, 2023–2026
- Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Plastics Engineering, 2022–2025
- Katherine Tucker, Biomed & Nutritional Sciences, 2021–2024
- Christopher Niezrecki, Mechanical Engineering, 2020–2023
- William Moylan, Music, 2019–2022
- Meg Bond, Psychology, 2018–2021
- Joey Mead, Plastics Engineering, 2017–2020
- Robert Forrant, History, 2016–2019
- Holly Yanco, Computer Science, 2015–2018
- Pradeep Kurup, Civil Engineering, 2014–2017
- Laura Punnett, Work Environment, 2013–2016
- Stephen McCarthy, Plastics Engineering, 2012–2015
- Regina Panasuk, Graduate School of Education, 2011–2014
- Robert Giles, Physics and Applied Physics, 2010–2013
- Kenneth Geiser, Work Environment, 2009–2012
- Susan Braunhut, Biological Sciences, 2008–2011