Faculty are the heart of UAlbany, driving its mission through teaching, research and mentorship.
With thanks and gratitude to the generous donors who have endowed these academic positions, UAlbany can excel in its tradition as a home of faculty excellence, knowledge and inspiration.
Named chairs, professorships and other academic positions recognize faculty members' accomplishments and ground-breaking work as educators and cutting-edge researchers, while honoring donors’ meaningful generosity. We are grateful to the donors who have provided the means for our exceptional faculty to pursue new discoveries and innovations.
To learn more about how you can make an impact, please visit Professorships and Faculty Endowments.
College of Arts & Sciences
Thomas Begley
Williams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Biology
The Willams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Biology was established through a generous estate gift from Margaret Raycheff-Williams ’44 and Roy O. Williams. This endowed professorship recognizes faculty whose scholarship, teaching, and service demonstrate excellence in life sciences.
Dr. Thomas Begley, Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, was appointed the Williams-Raycheff Endowed Professor in Biology in 2025.
J. Andrew Berglund
Keith Hynes Endowed Chair in STEM
Generously established by Keith Hynes ’74, the Keith Hynes Endowed Chair in STEM provides critical support for faculty members at UAlbany who work within STEM disciplines and/or the University’s Artificial Intelligence initiative.
Dr. J. Andrew Berglund, Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the RNA Institute, was named the inaugural Keith Hynes Endowed Chair in 2024.
Sheila Curran Bernard
Glen Trotiner Professorship of Visual Storytelling
The Glen Trotiner Professorship of Visual Storytelling was established through a generous planned gift by Glen Trotiner ’78, ’79 MS to support a faculty member who focuses their academic research on film studies, documentary studies, film initiatives and/or through visual cultural creativities occurring at UAlbany. Glen’s goal for this professorship was to provide support, across UAlbany’s academic disciplines, that advances film studies as related to the various theatrical, historical and critical approaches to cinema as an art form and medium.
Professor Sheila Curran Bernard of the Department of History was named the Glen Trotiner Professor of Visual Storytelling in 2025.
Melinda Larsen
Williams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Biology
The Willams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Biology was established through a generous estate gift from Margaret Raycheff-Williams ’44 and Roy O. Williams. This endowed professorship recognizes faculty whose scholarship, teaching, and service demonstrate excellence in the life sciences.
Dr. Melinda Larsen, Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, was appointed The Williams-Raycheff Professor in Biology in 2023.
Igor Lednev
Williams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Chemistry
The Willams-Raycheff Endowed Professorship in Chemistry was established through a generous estate gift from Margaret Raycheff-Williams ’44 and Roy O. Williams. This endowed professorship recognizes faculty whose scholarship, teaching, and service demonstrate excellence in the life sciences.
Dr. Igor Lednev of the Department of Chemistry and RNA Institute, was appointed the Williams-Raycheff Professor in Chemistry in 2023.
Marina Petrukhina
Carla Rizzo Delray ’42 Endowed Professorship
The Carla Rizzo Delray ’42 Endowed Professorship was established in 2006 through a generous bequest from Carla Delray, Class of 1942, to encourage research and scholarship within the physical and/or natural sciences.
Dr. Marina Petrukhina, of the Department of Chemistry, was named the Carla Rizzo Delray Endowed Professor in 2019.
Massry School of Business
Rita Biswas
The Ackner/Newman Chair in Business & Innovation
Established through the generosity and thoughtful support of William J. Newman ’81 and Linda Ackner-Newman ’83 MSW, the Ackner/Newman Chair in Business & Innovation provides support for a professor in the Massry School of Business who shows great promise in their pursuit of scholarly activities and academic scholarship.
Dr. Rita Biswas of the Massry School of Business was named the Ackner/Newman Chair in Business & Innovation in 2024.
Na Dai
The Esther Massry Endowed Professorship
Norman and Micki Massry, along with their family, have generously established four endowed professorships in the Massry School of Business, including the Esther Massry Endowed Professorship. Each Massry professorship supports general research initiatives, teaching support and technological needs for each of the faculty members named. The University at Albany is grateful to the Massry family for their vision and commitment that will have an enduring impact on the Massry School of Business’ faculty and students.
Dr. Na Dai was named the Esther Massry Professor in 2023 and is a Professor of Finance at the Massry School of Business.
Paquita Davis-Friday
Minerva Leadership Endowed Dean
The Minerva Leadership Endowed Dean is occupied by the Dean of the Massry School of Business, Paquita Davis-Friday. This endowment, established by a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous, provides the dean with unrestricted and flexible support to advance key priorities and emerging opportunities.
Dr. Paquita Y. Davis-Friday, PhD, CPA became the dean of the Massry School of Business on February 18, 2025.
Sanjay Goel
The Morris Massry Endowed Professorship
Norman and Micki Massry, along with their family, have generously established four endowed professorships in the Massry School of Business, including the Morris Massry Endowed Professorship. Each Massry professorship supports general research initiatives, teaching support and technological needs for each of the faculty members named. The University at Albany is grateful to the Massry family for their vision and commitment that will have an enduring impact on the Massry School of Business’ faculty and students.
Dr. Sanjay Goel was appointed the Morris Massry Endowed Professor in 2023.
Heidi Knoblauch
The Ackner/Newman Professor of Practice
Linda Ackner-Newman ’83 MSW and William J. Newman ’81 generously established The Ackner/Newman Professor of Practice in 2022 to support the teaching of entrepreneurship at the Massry School of Business through sharing proven entrepreneurial experiences by fostering, mentoring or funding entrepreneurial endeavors.
Dr. Heidi Knoblauch was appointed the Ackner/Newman Professor of Practice in 2023.
William Wales
Standish Chair in Entrepreneurship at UAlbany’s Massry School of Business
Thanks to the generosity of local philanthropists Spencer and Patricia Standish, and their family, the Standish Chair in Entrepreneurship was established in 2013 to foster entrepreneurship in the Massry School of Business while broadly impacting the university and the Capital Region.
Dr. William Wales was appointed the Standish Chair in 2015 at the Massry School of Business.
New York State Writers Institute
Paul Grondahl
Opalka Endowed Director
The Opalka Endowed Directorship at the NYSWI endows the director’s position and provides important financial support that may be used at the director’s discretion. Established through the thoughtful generosity of Chet and Karen Opalka, this endowment develops and enhances the available programming, visiting authors, lectures and events hosted by the NYSWI.
Paul Grondahl began his position at the NYSWI in February 2017, and was appointed the Opalka Endowed Director in 2023.
School of Education
Robert Yagelski
The Dorothy G. Griffin Professorship in English Education
Established through a generous planned gift in 1995 by Dorothy Griffin ’34, who began her career as an English teacher at Draper High School in Schenectady, Dorothy went on to great success in business, and became a noted philanthropist to secondary and postsecondary institutions.
Dr. Robert Yagelski, School of Education, was appointed the Dorothy G. Griffin Endowed Professor in English Education in 2021.