Dear UMB Community,

I’m pleased to announce that eight University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) professors have been recognized with the designation of Distinguished University Professor. The title of Distinguished University Professor is the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB. It is a recognition not just of excellence, but also of impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice.

I hope you’ll join me in congratulating these exemplary faculty colleagues:

• William T. Carpenter, MD, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)
• Robert K. Ernst, PhD, Dr. Paul and Mrs. Jean Corcoran Endowed Professor and chair, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland School of Dentistry
• Claire Fraser, PhD, founding director, Institute for Genome Sciences, and Dean E. Albert Reece Endowed Professor, UMSOM
• Donald G. Gifford, JD, Jacob A. France Professor of Torts, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
• Geoffrey Greif, PhD, MSW, LCSW-C, professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work 
• Margaret M. "Peg" McCarthy, PhD, James and Carolyn Frenkil Endowed Dean's Professor and chair, Department of Pharmacology; director, University of Maryland - Medicine Institute for Neuroscience Discovery, UMSOM
• Fadia T. Shaya, PhD, MPH, professor of population health and data science, Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, and executive director, Behavioral Health Resources and TA Program, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy; co-director, Informatics-Innovation, Dissemination, and Implementation, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
• J. Marc Simard, MD, PhD, Dr. Bizhan Aarabi Professor in Neurotrauma and interim chair, Department of Physiology, UMSOM; chief, Neurosurgical Service, Baltimore VA Hospital

I’m extremely proud of the exceptional and transformational contributions each of these faculty members has made in support of UMB’s mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good. They are excellent examples of living UMB’s core values, and it is my honor to call them colleagues. We will celebrate them and they will receive their Distinguished University Professor medals at UMB's Convocation on Sept. 14.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President