March 31st saw the formal induction of seven Arts & Science faculty into Silver Professorships. The ceremony honored inductees from 2020, 2021 and 2022, as in-person events were largely suspended for the past two years. The Silver Professorships are one of the University's highest honors, and the most prestigious named professorship NYU can offer its faculty.
Honored from the 2020 class were Karen Adolph, Professor of Psychology and Neural Science and Haruko Momma, Professor of English. 2021 inductees included Susan Antón, Professor of Anthropology; Glennys Farrar, Professor of Physics; and Thomas Sugrue, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis and History. This year’s inductees are Christina Alberini, Professor of Neural Science and Claudia Rankine, Professor of Creative Writing. Inductees from the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences included Gérard Ben Arous (20), Professor of Mathematics; Bruce Kleiner (21), Professor of Mathematics; and Oded Regev (22), Professor of Computer Science.
The Julius Silver, Roslyn S. Silver, and Enid Silver Winslow Professorships are the product of a 2002 bequest made by the estate of Julius Silver, an attorney, philanthropist, and 1922 graduate of NYU. The bequest stipulates that NYU name 75 Silver Professors by 2023, with two-thirds among the faculty of Arts & Science and one-third in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Silver Professors are chosen for their outstanding scholarship, research, publications, peer recognition, academy affiliations, and commitment to undergraduate education. Honoring professors who engage fully with undergraduate education was one of Silver’s highest priorities. He was a scholarship student at NYU, and went on to serve as a trustee for 40 years.
Silver Professors add to the intellectual legacy of the University. After their induction, they submit a piece of written work, published on the Arts & Science website as The Julius Silver, Roslyn S. Silver, and Enid Silver Winslow Dialogues in Arts and Science. The work showcases the breadth of scholarship across Arts & Science and the Courant Institute.
Greeting the assembly, Antonio Merlo, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, said to the inductees: “the Silver Professorships afford us a tangible way to recognize and honor your outstanding contributions to your discipline and your commitment to undergraduate education. They also give us a chance to thank you for your role in making NYU and Arts & Science a place where we proudly follow through with our bold aspirations, translating knowledge into action for the betterment of our world.”