Investiture to Celebrate 10 Endowed Faculty and Philanthropic Visionaries During Homecoming Weekend

Ten distinguished faculty members will be formally invested into endowed positions at Stony Brook University on Friday, October 24, 2025. The ceremony will take place at 11 am in the Charles B. Wang Center Theater, followed by a reception.

Endowed professorships and chairs represent one of the highest honors a university can bestow upon its faculty. These positions not only recognize academic excellence and leadership but also serve as enduring tributes to the visionary donors who make them possible. Endowments are also essential to Stony Brook’s mission to accelerate excellence in education, research, healthcare and service — providing the resources needed to recruit, retain and support world-class faculty.

This year’s investiture will honor the following faculty members:

• Gábor Balázsi, PhD — Henry Laufer Endowed Professor of Physical and Quantitative Biology
• Rabih Chaer, MD — Dr. John J. Ricotta Endowed Professor in Vascular Surgery
• Juan Carlos Conesa, PhD — Endowed Chair for Applied Economics and Public Policy
• Susan Hedayati, MD, MS — Lina Obeid Chair in Biomedical Research
• Peter Igarashi, MD — Knapp Endowed Dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine
• Mihai Manea, PhD — Endowed Professor for the Department of Economics
• Sharon Nachman, MD — Knapp Endowed Chair in Pediatrics
• Lav Varshney, PhD — Della Pietra Infinity Chair
• Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI — Endowed Chair of Neurology
• Simos Zenios, PhD — Peter V. Tsantes Professor in Greek Literature and Language

The ceremony will feature an address by Andrea Goldsmith, PhD, president of Stony Brook University, and a keynote address by Ellen K. Pikitch, PhD, endowed professor of ocean conservation science. Pikitch’s groundbreaking work in marine science has helped shape global policy on ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries.

This annual tradition celebrates not only the academic achievements of Stony Brook’s faculty but also the generosity and foresight of the donors who have invested in the university’s future. All members of the campus community and the public are invited to attend and share in this moment of pride and progress. The ceremony will be followed by a reception. Register here.

Watch a video from the 2024 Investiture Ceremony:

See photos from the 2024 Investiture Ceremony and Reception:

For more information on the endowed faculty members, visit https://www.stonybrook.edu/endowedfaculty. 

For more information on the Investiture Ceremony and other Homecoming events, visit https://www.stonybrook.edu/homecoming/.

Questions? Contact advancementevents@stonybrook.edu or call (631) 632-4466.