On Feb. 9, Elizabeth A. Graddy, PhD, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Southern California, made the annual announcement naming the newest faculty members to be named a University Professor or a Distinguished Professor. Among those named University Professor are Thomas Buchanan, MD, vice dean for research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. In addition, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, MPH, received the title of Distinguished Professor. She serves the Keck School as associate director for community outreach and engagement for the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research at the Keck School.

This distinction is the highest academic honor that the university bestows, and is awarded annually by USC President Carol L. Folt, PhD, to faculty members whose accomplishments have brought extraordinary respect and esteem to the university. USC leadership will celebrate the achievements of this year’s honorees at the annual Academic Honors Convocation in April.

To learn more about Buchanan and Baezconde-Garbanati and to see the full list of honorees, click here.