MatSE Celebrates Three Investitures: Professors Jian-min Zuo, Jianjun Cheng, and Pascal Bellon

2/20/2017

On February 8, the Materials Science and Engineering Department was fortunate to celebrate not one, but three investitures for Professors Jian-min Zuo, Jianjun Cheng, and Pascal Bellon.

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On February 8, the Materials Science and Engineering Department was fortunate to celebrate not one, but three investitures for Professors Jian-min Zuo, Jianjun Cheng, and Pascal Bellon

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Innovation Charles Tucker welcomed everyone to the celebration by discussing the importance of named professorships. “Permanently endowed positions are the most visible high honor… each endowed position has its own investments in people, ideas, and human potential that will span generations,” Tucker said. 

College of Engineering Dean Andreas Cangellaris kicked off the official investitures, noting the importance of materials science and engineering. “Everything goes back to materials… it is the materials that make our world beautiful.” 

Jian-min Zuo is now the Ivan Racheff Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. During the ceremony, Physics Professor Jim Eckstein introduced him by saying “Why Professor Zuo? I wish all questions in life could be this easy… he has contributed immensely to the fields of materials science.” Zuo thanked his family, students who make his work possible, his colleagues and collaborators, friends, and the Materials Research Lab, and joked that being a scientist is like having a hobby for a job, but being a microscopist is like having a very expensive hobby. 

Jianjun Cheng is now the Hans Thurnauer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Paul Braun, Ivan Racheff Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Director of the Materials Research Lab, introduced Jianjun, or “J.J.” as friends call him. “If I had to describe J.J., I would say he is persistent, accomplished, and continuously accelerating… he has persistence to reach his goals and excel at every stage, which shows through his continuous record of excellence.” Braun described that Cheng took a “tumultuous” path to get where he is today, with time spent in different universities and in industry, all the while growing at a higher level, publishing papers in top journals at an increasing pace. “I’m not sure what J.J. is going to do next, but I am sure it will be impactful, and I’m looking forward to it,” Braun added. Cheng said that he was humbled and honored to receive this professorship, and thanked his wife, students, former advisors, colleagues, and a friends for their “unimaginable support, guidance, and friendship.” “This professorship is not just the summation of my career and accomplishments, but really just the beginning of new projects,” Cheng said. 

Pascal Bellon is now the Don Hamer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Bob Averback, retired former Don Hamer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, spoke on his behalf, saying he has made his time at Illinois more enjoyable and productive, and that he was deserving of this professorship not only for his dynamic work in phase diagrams and beyond, but also because he is an excellent educator. Bellon stated, “I am honored to receive this professorship. I had the pleasure to meet Don Hamer in the past, and the scope of his philanthropic work impressed me so much… It is a great honor to be a part of this community of researchers, scientists, and more, and this honor is part of not only my evolution as a scientist, but as a person.” Bellon thanked his family, mentors, and Materials Science and Engineering Department staff. 

 


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This story was published February 20, 2017.