Eugene McDermott Distinguished Professor
The McDermott Professorships were established in August 2017, funded by an anonymous gift, with the goal of providing early career support and recognition to faculty members who have established extraordinary records of research productivity, teaching excellence and university service, and who show promise of being leaders of the UT Dallas faculty in the future.
Dr. William Anderson
- Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
“With this generous professorship, I will be afforded unique flexibility to pursue discretionary research efforts that broaden fundamental understanding on the physics of turbulent flows. This has implications for design of engineering devices and for characterization of mixing in geophysical flows. UT Dallas is a science and technology powerhouse, founded by a science and technology powerhouse: I could not imagine a better environment for scholarly research.”
Dr. Lunjin Chen
- Associate Professor of Physics
“The magnetosphere consists of highly energetic charged particles, which can damage electronics on spacecraft or can be dangerous to astronauts. So, it’s very valuable to predict the dynamics of those energetic charged particles. My research focuses on using numerical models to better understand and predict the dynamics and variability of charged particles, as well as the magnetosphere in general.”
Dr. Gregory Dussor
- Professor and Department Head of Neuroscience
“UT Dallas has been incredibly supportive of our work investigating pathological mechanisms of migraine. The significant recent investments in infrastructure, including the world-class research building and core facilities we utilize, are instrumental both to the success of our work and to our ability to recruit talented students and postdoctoral fellows. Using this support, our ultimate goal is to translate the basic discoveries from the laboratory into new therapeutics, an effort I hope would make Eugene McDermott proud.”
Dr. Rashaunda Henderson
- Professor of Electrical Engineering
“Microwave engineering education and research is at an all-time high as commercial applications are being developed in this regime. UT Dallas has established an excellent program to support radio frequency (RF) engineers for the next generation. Our students leave here making an impact in a short period of time for the greater good. I love being part of that.”
Dr. Mihaela Stefan
- Professor and Department Head of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Professor of Bioengineering and of Materials Science and Engineering
“I developed my mentoring style by using five simple steps: Care for your students; look beyond the surface and do not discard anyone out-of-hand; learn about your students’ concerns; establish a connection and be honest about your expectations; and constantly provide feedback and encouragement.”I developed my mentoring style by using five simple steps: Care for your students; look beyond the surface and do not discard anyone out-of-hand; learn about your students’ concerns; establish a connection and be honest about your expectations; and constantly provide feedback and encouragement.”