Arthur F. Thurnau Professorships

General Information

The Thurnau Professorships are named after Arthur F. Thurnau, a student at the University of Michigan from 1902 to 1904, and are supported by the Thurnau Charitable Trust that was established through his will. Mr. Thurnau wished to return to the University something of the value he gained from being an undergraduate on this campus. In that spirit and in his memory, the Thurnau Professorships recognize and reward faculty for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education. This program is designed to honor those tenured faculty whose commitment to and investment in undergraduate teaching has had a demonstrable impact on the intellectual development and lives of their students. The exceptional students coming to the University of Michigan challenge us to create a rich and diverse learning environment in which our very best faculty are an integral part of the undergraduate educational experience. The Thurnau Professorships help to recognize and reward outstanding faculty who devote their attention to this important endeavor.

Five or six tenured faculty members are designated annually as Thurnau Professors and hold this title for the remainder of their careers at U-M. They receive a $20,000 grant to support activities that will enhance their teaching (e.g., travel, books, equipment, GSA support).

Please read the nomination guidelines carefully. Nominations are made by any dean/associate dean/department chair or academic program director, and the awardees are selected by the Provost. If you have questions about the nomination procedure or the professorship, please call or email Matt Kaplan, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), (734) 936-0644 (mlkaplan@umich.edu).

Thurnau Professors are recommended to the Regents at their February meeting and announced at Honors Convocation in March.

• Announcement of the Competition
  
  
• Nomination Guidelines
  
  
• Nomination Cover Sheet (downloadable Microsoft Word document)
  
  
• Past and Current Thurnau Professors

Related News Stories

Regents approve Thurnau professors
The University Record, February 19, 2007

Arthur F. Thurnau professorship title becomes career-long honor
The University Record, February 20, 2006

Six honored with Thurnau professorships
The University Record, February 21, 2005

Five named Thurnau Professors
The University Record, March 1, 2004

Five named Thurnau professors
The University Record, March 10, 2003

Six faculty honored for undergraduate teaching
The University Record, February 19, 2002

Regents approve appointments of six as Thurnau Professors
The University Record, March 26, 2001

Eight named Thurnau Professors in 2000
The University Record, March 6, 2000

Seven named 1999 Arthur F. Thurnau Professors
The University Record, March 8, 1999

Six faculty members named 1998 Thurnau Professors for undergraduate education
The University Record, March 11, 1998