Three new Regents Professors named by University of Minnesota

MEDIA NOTE: Photos available athttp://www1.umn.edu/urelate/newsservice/photos/09_regents_profs.html

Contacts: Contacts: Ryan Mathre, University News Service, (612) 625-0552, mathre@umn.edu

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/25/2009) — Three University of Minnesota professors have been named Regents Professors by the university's Board of Regents. The designation is the highest level of recognition given to faculty by the university. They are Bruce Blazar, chief, University of Minnesota Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program, Thomas Johnson, professor of Geological Sciences and Lawrence Que, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Chemistry.

“Year after year, Regents Professors represent the best and brightest in their fields, and this year's selection is no exception," said University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks. “Their bold discoveries and commitment to excellence across a wide range of disciplines embody the mission and aspirations of a world-class research and land-grant university.”

The addition of the new Regents Professors increases the total number of current Regents Professorships to 29.

“Our new distinguished group of Regents Professors are exemplars of the academic excellence that abounds at the University of Minnesota,” said Provost Thomas Sullivan. “Throughout their careers, professors Blazar, Johnson and Que, Jr. have produced outstanding academic contributions, engaged their students in the classroom and provided exceptional service, thereby enhancing the reputation of the University of Minnesota. It is a privilege to honor this group.”

More about the Regents Professors and their research:
 

 Bruce Blazar (University of Minnesota Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Program)

Blazar is considered to be one of the foremost translational physician-scientists in the world.  He is the chief of the University of Minnesota Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program, director of the U’s Center for Translational Medicine and assistant vice president, Clinical and Translational Science Programs.  Blazar also holds the Andersen Chair in Transplantation Immunology.  His career at the University spans more than 30 years, where he has held a variety of leadership roles and mentored 47 trainees and junior faculty in his labs. He has a long track record as both a prolific and highly cited research scientist, having published more than 400 articles, with more than 1800 citations in 2009 alone.    Blazar was also instrumental in garnering the $40 million gift from the Schulze Family Foundation to establish the Schulze Diabetes Institute.
 

Thomas Johnson (Geological Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth)

Johnson is a professor of geological sciences and founding director of the Large Lake Observatory, University of Minnesota Duluth.  He is considered to be the world’s leading scientist studying the evolution of large lakes today.  In 1981, he left the Twin Cities campus to accept the position of associate professor of geology and director of limnology at the University of Minnesota Duluth.  During this time, he co-founded the International Decade of East African Lakes (IDEAL), a project with results that brought great benefit to the field of paleolimnology, including significant advances in drilling/coring technology, education and training of U.S. and African scientists and students, as well as a better understanding of the physical dynamics, biogeochemistry and paleoclimate history of East African lakes. He is credited with over 100 publications, many of which are found in some of the highest standard journals in his field. In addition to the many students and postdoctoral researchers that he has educated, and the junior faculty he has mentored, he has also directly supervised or advised at least five students from Kenya who obtained their doctoral degrees through IDEAL initiatives and numerous other students who went on to obtain their masters degree.   

Lawrence Que, Jr (Institute of Technology)

Que, Jr. is a 3M/Alumni Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in the Institute of Technology. He is considered to be an internationally acclaimed scholar who has made a tremendous impact inthe field of bioinorganic chemistry.  Que has played a pioneering role in understanding the function that nonheme iron centers play in dioxygen activation in biology.  Under his guidance, 33 students received their doctoral degrees and 10 students received their master’s degree.  In addition, he has served as a research advisor to 66 postdoctoral students.  Twenty-two former members of this group hold positions at industrial institutions as research scientists and 50 have tenure-track or tenured positions in colleges or universities.  He is credited with establishing the University of Minnesota as a world-renowned center of excellence in bioinorganic chemistry and also led the effort to establish the U’s Center for Metals in Biocatalysis, which comprises faculty and students from multiple departments who share interests in exploring the roles of metals in biology.  He is the author of over 400 publications, presented 290 invited lectures, including 22 plenary, keynotes or endowed lectureships.  

The Regents Professor position was established in 1965 by the Board of Regents to recognize the national and international prominence of faculty members. It serves as the highest recognition for faculty who have made unique contributions to the quality of the University of Minnesota through exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research and scholarship or creative work, and contributions to the public good.