Richard R. Brettell Distinguished University Chair

The Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History was established by a gift of $17 million from Edith O’Donnell in 2014. This gift was supplemented with $10 million from the Texas Research Incentive Program, yielding aggregate endowments of $27 million with which the institute can support faculty and student research and collaborations with institutions in the region and around the world in the promotion of art historical scholarship. The institute is housed in the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building on the UT Dallas campus and also maintains facilities in the Dallas Museum of Art.

Dr. Michael Thomas

• Director of the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History
• Professor of Arts and Humanities

“It is an honor to hold this chair that was created by Edith O’Donnell and that honors Rick Brettell. I look forward to honoring their legacies by making art more relevant and available to the UT Dallas community and to the citizens of North Texas.”