University Professors

Awarded very selectively by the President based on multi-disciplinary interests and significant accomplishments in several disciplines.

Current University Professors

Leo B. Braudy

University Professor of English and History, and holder of the Leo S. Bing Chair in English and American Literature

Thomas Buchanan

University Professor of Medicine, and holder of the Bernard J. Hanley Chair in Medicine

Manuel Castells

University Professor of Communication, Sociology, Public Policy, and International Relations, and holder of the Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society

Yang Chai

University Professor, George and MaryLou Boone Professor of Craniofacial Molecular Biology

Geoffrey Cowan

University Professor of Communication, and holder of the Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership

Eileen Crimmins

University Professor of Gerontology, and holder of the AARP Chair in Gerontology

Antonio Damasio

University Professor of Psychology and Neurology, and holder of the David Dornsife Chair

Hanna Damasio

University Professor of Psychology and Neurology, and holder of the Dana Dornsife Chair

Dana Goldman

University Professor of Public Policy, Pharmacy, and Economics, Dean of the Price School of Public Policy

Lee Epstein

University Professor, Charles L. and Ramona I. Hilliard Distinguished Professor of Law and Political Science

Caleb Finch

University Professor of Gerontology, Biological Sciences, Anthropology, and Psychology, and holder of the ARCO/William F. Kieschnick Chair in the Neurobiology of Aging

Shaun Harper

University Professor and Provost Professor of Education and Business, and holder of the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership

Mark S. Humayun

University Professor of Ophthalmology, Biomedical Engineering, and Cell and Neurobiology, and holder of the Cornelius J. Pings Chair in Biomedical Sciences

Petros Ioannou

University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial and Systems Engineering

Thomas H. Jordan

University Professor of Earth Sciences, and holder of the W. M. Keck Foundation Chair in Geological Sciences

Steve Kay

University Professor and Provost Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences, Director of Convergent Bioscience

Peter Kuhn

University Professor of Biological Sciences, Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Urology

Akira Mizuta Lippit

University Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, Comparative Literature, and East Asian Languages and Cultures, and holder of the T.C. Wang Family Endowed Chair in Cinematic Arts

Azad Madni

University Professor of Astronautics, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Education

Andrew P. McMahon

University Professor and W.M. Keck Provost Professor, and Chair of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Biological Sciences

Shrikanth Narayanan

University Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Computer Science; Professor of Linguistics, Psychology and Neuroscience; Professor of Pediatrics, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; and Niki and C. L. Max Nikias Chair in Engineering

Viet Thanh Nguyen

University Professor of English and American Studies and Ethnicity and holder of the Aerol Arnold Chair Chair in English

Hanna Reisler

University Professor of Chemistry, and holder of the Lloyd Armstrong Jr. Chair in Science and Engineering

Jean C. Shih

University Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and holder of the Boyd P. and Elsie D. Welin Chair in Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology

Jacob Soll

University Professor of History and Accounting

David St. John

University Professor of English and Comparative Literature

Larry W. Swanson

University Professor of Biological Sciences, Psychology, and Neurology, and holder of the Milo Don and Lucille Appleman Chair in Biological Sciences

Shanghua Teng

University Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics, and holder of the Seeley G. Mudd Professorship of Engineering

Mark E. Thompson 

University Professor of Chemistry, and holder of the Ray R. Irani, Chairman of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Chair in Chemistry

Berislav Zlokovic

University Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience, and holder of the Mary Hayley and Selim Zilkha Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research

Emeritus University Professors

Michael A. Arbib

University Professor Emeritus, Fletcher Jones Professor of Computer Science, Professor of Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience and Psychology

Lloyd Armstrong, Jr.

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Education

George A. Bekey

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science

Estela Mara Bensimon

University Professor Emerita, Professor Emerita of Educational Equity

Alexander Capron

University Professor Emeritus, Scott H. Bice Chair Emeritus in Healthcare Law, Policy and Ethics, and Professor Emeritus of Law and Medicine

Marshall Cohen

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Law

Richard A. Easterlin

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Economics

Marsha Kinder

University Professor Emerita, Professor Emerita of Critical Studies

Malcolm C. Pike

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Preventive Medicine

John Brooks Slaughter

University Professor Emeritus, Professor of Education and Computer Engineering

William G. Tierney

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Education

Michael S. Waterman

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science

Former University Professors

Warren Bennis

University Professor, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, and Professor of Management and Organization and Finance and Business Economics

Solomon Golomb

University Professor, Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Mathematics, and holder of the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Chair in Communications

Robert W. Hellwarth

University Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering and Physics and Astronomy

Daniel Lewis

University Professor, Professor of Music

John Orr

University Professor, Professor of Religion

Charles Ritcheson

Colin Rhys Lovell University Professor Emeritus of History

Steven Sample

University Professor, Professor of Electrical Engineering, and President Emeritus

Kevin Starr

University Professor, Professor of History and Public Policy

James Strnad

University Professor, Professor of Law

Richard Thompson

University Professor Emeritus and William M. Keck Chair Emeritus in Psychology and Biological Sciences

Stephen Toulmin

University Professor and Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, International Relations and Religion

C.S. Whitaker

University Professor, Professor Emeritus of International Relations and Political Science