Newly Distinguished

Lawrence Schell earns SUNY's top academic honor. 

ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 29, 2018) – The SUNY Board of Trustees announced 14 faculty appointed to the rank of Distinguished Professor, including Lawrence M. Schell of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Health.

Schell is a member of the Department of Anthropology with a joint appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He also serves as Director of the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities and is a clinical associate professor at Albany Medical College’s Department of Pediatrics.

Lawrence M. Schell, who holds a joint appointment in the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Public Health, has been appointed a SUNY Distinguished Professor.

“Schell is internationally known and respected for his research on human growth and development, having generated nearly 200 publications that are highly regarded across the fields of anthropology, biology and public health,” a release issued by SUNY stated. “His research has attracted external funding, totaling over $25 million, resulting in important changes in environmental health and the ways in which practitioners and policy-makers serve those most affected by health disparities.”

SUNY notes that Schell has been honored with numerous awards and prestigious fellowships. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an Honorary Scientific Advisor for the Institute for Anthropological Research in Croatia. He has received support from the NATO Advanced Study Institute, and was a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar in Italy.

“We are so proud of Dr. Schell, not only for his outstanding faculty work but also because it is in an area that is very much needed today, and one that represents the best of us as a diverse, public research university working to solve important problems of society,” said James Stellar, provost at UAlbany.

“The Board is honored to bestow these 14 exceptional academics, who come highly recommended by their peers and presidents, with SUNY’s most revered ranking of distinction,” said SUNY Board Chairman H. Carl McCall in SUNY’s announcement. “Their dedication to the students, faculty and staff at their individual campuses as well as to advancing research and sharing knowledge within their fields is laudable. Congratulations to all honorees.”

“The individuals joining SUNY’s distinguished faculty exude academic excellence, commit themselves to being exemplary professionals inside and outside of the classroom, and relentlessly work to build on SUNY’s prominence as a national leader in education and service,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson. “Their accomplishments range from producing groundbreaking research to helping students find their passion for learning and ultimately to succeeding in their careers. Thank you to all of today’s honorees for their service to SUNY and congratulations.”

Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon SUNY faculty who have achieved national and/or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within their field. Distinction is attained through extraordinary contributions to, and impact on, the candidate’s field of study, evidenced by significant research and/or creative activity. Candidates are role models for students and other faculty, and their work is of such character that it has the potential to elevate the standards of scholarship or creative activity of colleagues both within and beyond their academic fields.

To read more about the 14 faculty across the 64-SUNY institutions who were appointed to the Distinguished Faculty Rank, visit SUNY’s announcement.

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