MSU Research Foundation & Red Cedar Distinguished Professors

Established in 2014 and 2022, respectively, by the MSU Foundation, the titles of MSU Research Foundation Professors and Red Cedar Distinguished Professors are awarded to exceptionally accomplished current and incoming faculty members, with the aim of enhancing the stature of the institution in research and creative activity.

In addition to an award of scholarly funding, MSU Research Foundation and Red Cedar Professors retain their titles for the duration of their service at MSU. 

Learn more about how the MSU Research Foundation is recognizing outstanding faculty members.

  • Nwando Achebe
  • Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professorship in History
  • College of Social Science
  • Adesoji Obafemi Adelaja
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Andrea Amalfitano
  • Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Chair in Osteopathic Medicine
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Ranjani 'Krishnan' Ananthakrishnan
  • Ernest W. and Robert W. Schaberg Endowed Chair in Accounting
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Kristin Arola
  • Karen L. Gillmor, Ph.D., Endowed Professor in Professional and Public Writing
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Yael Aronoff
  • Michael and Elaine Serling and Friends Endowed Chair in Israel Studies
  • James Madison College
  • Rafael Auras
  • Amcor Endowed Chair in Packaging Sustainability
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Ann E. Austin
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Education
  • Richard Baillie
  • A. J. Pasant Professor in Insurance
  • College of Social Science
  • Wolfgang Banzhaf
  • John R. Koza Endowed Chair in Genetic Programming
  • College of Engineering
  • Bruno Basso
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Suman Basuroy
  • James O. Fishbeck and Lee A. Morgan Professor in Business
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Johannes M. Bauer
  • James H. and Mary B. Quello Chair in Media and Information Policy
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Wolfgang W. Bauer
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Jonas Becker
  • Jerry Cowen Chair of Experimental Physics
  • College of Natural Science
  • Tara Behrend
  • John Richard Butler II Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Enrique Seira Bejarano
  • Frederick S. Addy Distinguished Chair in Economics
  • College of Social Science
  • Christoph Benning
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • John Christopher Besley
  • Ellis N. Brandt Chair in Public Relations
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Georg Bollen
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Barry Bradford
  • Clinton E. Meadows Endowed Chair
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Federica Brandizzi
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Stephen Marc Breedlove
  • Barnett Rosenberg Chair in Biological Science
  • College of Natural Science
  • Raymond L. Brock
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Kinitra D. Brooks
  • Audrey and John Leslie Endowed Chair in Literary Studies
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Ruth Nicole Brown
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Danny Caballero
  • Lappan-Phillips Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Christina Chan
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Angela Chia-Chen Chen
  • McLaren Greater Lansing Endowed Chair for Behavioral Mental Health Nursing Education
  • College of Nursing
  • Honglei Chen
  • MSU Research Foundation Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Jay Pil Choi
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Andrew Jason Christlieb
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • College of Engineering
  • Tyler Cocker
  • Jerry Cowen Chair of Experimental Physics
  • College of Natural Science
  • Timothy James Collier
  • The Edwin A. Brophy Endowed Chair in Central Nervous System Disorders
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Christopher H. Contag
  • James and Kathleen Cornelius Chair
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Natural Science
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Melanie M. Cooper
  • Lappan-Phillips Professor of Mathematics and Science Education
  • College of Natural Science
  • Sean Crosson
  • Professor Rudolph Hugh Endowed Chair
  • College of Natural Science
  • Pero Gaglo Dagbovie
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Bruce E. Dale
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Marcos Dantus
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Carl Davidson
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • James Dearing
  • Brandt Endowed Professor
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Kalyanmoy Deb
  • Dr. Herman E. and Ruth J. Koenig Endowed Chair in Communication Systems
  • College of Engineering
  • Loïc Déjardin
  • Wade O. Brinker Chair of Veterinary Surgery
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Dimitar D. Deliyski
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Dean DellaPenna
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Victor J. Dirita
  • Professor Rudolph Hugh Endowed Chair
  • College of Natural Science
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • John R. Dorgan
  • David L. and Denise M. Lamp Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Anne McLaren Dorrance
  • Walter F. Patenge Chair of Osteopathic Medicine
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Diane Ebert-May
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Patrick Edger
  • Red Cedar Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Todd Einhorn
  • Martin and Judith Bukovac Endowed Professor in Tree Fruit Physiology
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Todd Elder
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Asgerally (Asgi) Fazleabas
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Kenneth A. Frank
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Education
  • Eric Freedman
  • Knight Foundation Endowed Chair in Environmental Journalism
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Jeffrey Freymueller
  • Endowed Chair for Geology of the Solid Earth
  • College of Natural Science
  • Antonio Galvao
  • Frederic S. Addy Distinguished Chair in Economics
  • College of Social Science
  • Joseph C. Gardiner
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • Thomas Glasmacher
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Linda Greene
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Law
  • François Greer
  • Van Haften Endowed Professor in Deductive Literacy
  • College of Natural Science
  • Brian Gulbransen
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Thomas W. Hamann
  • The James L. Dye Endowed Chair in Materials Chemistry
  • College of Natural Science
  • Bjoern Robert Hamberger
  • James K. Billman Endowed Associate Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Mona Hanna-Attisha
  • C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Jack R. Harkema
  • Albert C. and Lois E. Dehn Chair in Veterinary Medicine, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Mary K. Hausbeck
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Michael Hickner
  • Craig A. Rogerson Endowed Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Chris E. Hogan
  • Russell E. Palmer Professor in Accounting
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Kay E. Holekamp
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • John R. Hollenbeck
  • Eli Broad Professor of Management, University Distinguished Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Gregg A. Howe
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Xuefei Huang
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Natural Science
  • Katharine C. Hunt
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Eric Hunter
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Joey Walter Huston
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Jerlando F.L. Jackson
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Education
  • Anil Jain
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Hao Jiang
  • Philip J. May Endowed Professor in Finance
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Jiming Jiang
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • John (Xuefeng) Jiang
  • Eli Broad Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Debra Johnson
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Jennifer Johnson
  • C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Russell Johnson
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • M. Jahi Johnson-Chappell
  • W.K. Kellogg Chair for Food, Society, and Sustainability
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Norbert Kaminski
  • Food and Consumer Product Ingredient Safety Endowed Chair
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Nicholas Kanaan
  • Maibach Smiley Endowed Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • John B. Kaneene
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Leo Kempel
  • Dennis P. Nyquist Endowed Professor in Electromagnetics
  • College of Engineering
  • Alan Ker
  • Elton R. Smith Endowed Chair
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Cheryl A. Kerfeld
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Naveen Khanna
  • A. J. Pasant Chair in Finance
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Christopher A. Klausmeier
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • James F. Klausner
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Kelly Klump
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Venkatesh Kumar Kodur
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Joseph Krajcik
  • Lappan-Phillips Professor of Mathematics and Science Education
  • College of Education
  • David Mark Kramer
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Douglas Landis
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Robert L. Last
  • Barnett Rosenberg Chair in Biological Science
  • College of Natural Science
  • Richard Lenski
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Zhaojian Li
  • Red Cedar Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Elena Litchman
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Jianguo 'Jack' Liu
  • Rachel Carson Chair in Ecological Sustainability, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Xiaoming Liu
  • Anil K. and Nandita K. Jain Endowed Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Saweda Liverpool-Tasie
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Christopher P. Long
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Richard E. Lucas
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Richard Lunt
  • Johansen-Crosby Endowed Professorship in Chemical Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Natural Science
  • James Luyendyk
  • Albert C. Dehn and Lois E. Dehn Chair in Veterinary Medicine
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Tapabrata 'Taps' Maiti
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Shannon D. Manning
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Linda Mansfield
  • Albert C. Dehn and Lois E. Dehn Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • College of Natural Science
  • Laura McCabe
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • James K. McCusker
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Allen McNamara
  • Geological Sciences Endowed Professorship
  • College of Natural Science
  • Gerry M. McNamara
  • John H. McConnell Professor in Business Administration
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Kenneth Malcolm Merz, Jr.
  • Joseph Zichis Endowed Chair in Chemistry
  • College of Natural Science
  • Jason Miller
  • Eli Broad Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Joydeep Mitra
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Wolfgang Mittig
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • Adam James Moeser
  • Matilda R. Wilson Endowed Chair in Large Animal Clinical Sciences
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • David Morgan
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Michelle Moyd
  • Red Cedar Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Ranjan Mukherjee
  • Martin J. Vanderploeg Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Anand Nair
  • Eli Broad Professor in Supply Chain Management
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Karthik Namasivayam
  • John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Jeffrey Nanzer
  • Dennis P. Nyquist Assistant Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Ramani Narayan
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Engineering
  • Sriram Narayanan
  • Eli Broad Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Witold Nazarewicz
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • Pouyan Nejadhashemi
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Thomas O'Halloran
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Olorunseun Ogunwobi
  • Barnett Rosenberg Chair in Biological Science
  • College of Natural Science
  • Adesuwa Olomu
  • Blanch B. and Frederick C. Swartz Endowed Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Steven Ondersma
  • C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Benjamin Orlando
  • James K. Billman Endowed Assistant Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Ioannis 'John' Papapolymerou
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Robert T. Pennock
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • Lyman Briggs College
  • Karen Lisette Perry
  • Pat Carrigan Chair of Feline Medicine
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • James J. Pestka
  • Robert and Carol Deibel Family Endowed Professorship, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Simon M. Petersen-Jones
  • The Donald R. Myers and William E. Dunlap Endowed Chair in Canine Health
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Piotr Piecuch
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Hayder Radha
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Kristen Renn
  • Dr. Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education
  • College of Education
  • Shawn J. Riley
  • Parrish Storrs Lovejoy Professor of Wildlife Management
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Quinetta Roberson
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • G. Philip Robertson
  • Director, MSU Kellogg Biological Station
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Natural Science
  • Sara Roccabianca
  • Marvin L. VanDerPloeg Endowed Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Joan Bray Rose
  • Homer E. Nowlin Chair in Water Research
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Arun Ross
  • Martin J. Vanderploeg Professor in the College of Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Jason Rowntree
  • C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Sustainable Agriculture
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Pamela Ruegg
  • David J. Ellis Professor in Large Animal Clinical Sciences
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Peter Savolainen
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Randall Schaetzl
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Hendrik Schatz
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Peter Schmidt
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • William H. Schmidt
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Education
  • Barbara L. Schneider
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Education
  • Thomas D. Sharkey
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Bradley M. Sherrill
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • Morgan Shipley
  • Foglio Endowed Chair in Spirituality
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Amy Simon
  • William and Audrey Farber Family Chair in Holocaust Studies and European Jewish History
  • College of Social Science
  • Andrei Simonov
  • Frederick S. Addy Distinguished Chair in Finance
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Mark L. Skidmore
  • Betty and David Morris Chair in State and Local Government Finance and Policy
  • MSU Extension
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Social Science
  • Caryl Sortwell
  • Edwin A. Brophy Endowed Chair in Central Nervous System Disorders
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Anjana Susarla
  • Omura-Saxena Professor in Responsible AI
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Bruno Takahashi
  • Brandt Endowed Professor
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Xiaobo Tan
  • Richard M. Hong Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Jiliang Tang
  • MSU Research Foundation Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Terrie Taylor
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • William W. Taylor
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • MSU Extension
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Cameron Thies
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • James Madison College
  • Michael R. Thoennessen
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
  • College of Natural Science
  • Michael Thomashow
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Natural Science
  • Kjerstin Thorson
  • Brandt Endowed Professor
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • Silvia Tita
  • Carol Ann Bennett-Vallès Professor
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Satish S. Udpa
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Irving Vega
  • Red Cedar Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Timothy J. Vogelsang
  • Frederick S. Addy Distinguished Chair in Economics
  • College of Social Science
  • Alexander L. Volberg
  • MSU Foundation Professor, University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • S. Patrick Walton
  • C. Robert and Kathryn M. Weir Endowed Professorship
  • College of Engineering
  • Isabel Yanyan Wang
  • Deloitte/Michael Licata Professor in Accounting
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Timothy Warren
  • Barnett Rosenberg Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Guowei Wei
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Songqiao (Shawn) Wei
  • Endowed Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences
  • College of Natural Science
  • Judith Whipple
  • Donald J. Bowersox and Robert W. Thull Professor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Rodney T. Whitaker
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Music
  • Angela K. Wilson
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Teresa Kaye Woodruff
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Jeffrey M. Wooldridge
  • University Distinguished Professor
  • College of Social Science
  • Jeff Wray
  • Timnick Chair in the Humanities
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • Felicia Wu
  • John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Yimin Xiao
  • MSU Foundation Professor
  • College of Natural Science
  • Kui Xie
  • Red Cedar Distinguished Professor
  • College of Education
  • Aman Yadav
  • Lappan-Phillips Professor
  • College of Education
  • Minami Yoda
  • Red Cedar Distinguished Professor
  • College of Engineering
  • Chien-Peng 'C.-P.' Yuan
  • Wu-Ki Tung Endowed Professorship in Particle Physics
  • College of Natural Science
  • George Zhu
  • G. Glenn and Marlene D. Gardner Endowed Chair in Automotive Engineering
  • College of Engineering
  • Kurt Zinn
  • Hickman Family Endowed Chair in Oncology
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Human Medicine
  • Kurt Zinn
  • Hickman Family Endowed Chair in Oncology