Distinguished Academy

Since 1963, SUNY faculty have been promoted to SUNY's four Distinguished ranks. SUNY’s Distinguished faculty include Nobel Laureates, National Academy members, National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners, and a Fields Medalist and a Dirac Medalist.  

Distinguished faculty serve as role models. They give lectures and seminars, inform curricular reform, improve the overall academic experience of students, mentor junior faculty, and lead inquiry into issues of importance to SUNY and society.

All active Distinguished faculty are members of the SUNY Distinguished Academy (DA) which builds and supports academic excellence by leveraging the skills, expertise, and talents of the Distinguished faculty.

Distinguished Faculty Programs

• The Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon faculty having achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within the individual’s chosen field through significant contributions to research and scholarship, or through artistic performance or achievement in the fine and performing arts.  
• The Distinguished Service Professorship is conferred upon faculty having achieved a distinguished reputation for service not only to the campus and the University, but also to the community, the State of New York, or even the nation, by sustained effort in the application of intellectual skills drawing from the candidate’s scholarly and research interests. It is bestowed on faculty in all disciplines and fields of study. 
• The Distinguished Teaching Professorship is conferred upon faculty having achieved a distinguished reputation for commitment to teaching. Faculty must demonstrate teaching mastery, consistently demonstrated over multiple years at the institution where the Distinguished Teaching Professorship is bestowed, at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional levels. Faculty must contribute to the discipline and to the University, the State of New York, or the nation by the use of innovative pedagogy and the sustained application of intellectual skills drawing from the candidate’s scholarly and research interests. 
• The Distinguished Librarian is conferred upon librarians having achieved a distinguished reputation for significant achievement in the areas of scholarship/research, service/librarianship, and/or teaching. Contributions at the level of the University, the State of New York, or nation may include creating a new information environment by providing access to information, sharing or networking information resources, and fostering information literacy.