FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The University of Arkansas announced on Aug. 29 the creation of a civil engineering professorship after receiving a $1 million gift from longtime professor and researcher R. Panneer Selvan and his wife Chitra Selvam.
According to a press release, the Chirtra and Panneer Selvan Endowed Professorship in Civil Engineering aims to support faculty excellence and expand research opportunities in the high-impact area of computer modeling and computational mechanics.
The university calls the endowed faculty position a transformational gift for the civil engineering department.
“The Selvam Endowed Professorship is a powerful investment in faculty excellence and student success,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “It will help elevate our civil engineering program and empower the next generation of scholars to conduct high-impact research. We are deeply grateful to Chitra and Panneer, not only for this incredible gift but also for their many years of dedication to the University of Arkansas and our students.”
“Gifts like this from the Selvam family help us recruit and retain top faculty,” said Micah Hale, department head for civil engineering. “It will also provide support for the research mission of the university, allowing the professorship holder to fund both undergraduate and graduate students, purchase needed equipment and present research at national and international conferences.”
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According to the release, the professorship prioritizes support for graduate students.
“I am sure many bright graduate students need this money. I hope this funding helps them achieve their goals just like others once helped me,” Selvam said.
The release says the professorship is intended to support academic advancement in computer modeling in science and engineering.
Once the endowment is fully vested, the college’s dean will conduct a national search in collaboration with the department to select the inaugural holder of the professorship. Hale says the ideal candidate will be a scholar with a nationally recognized research program in computer modeling or computational mechanics.
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