The University of New Mexico (UNM) has announced the promotion of nine faculty members to the rank of Distinguished Professor, including three from UNM Health Sciences. This prestigious title is awarded to faculty who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and are recognized as nationally and internationally renowned scholars. It is the highest academic honor bestowed by UNM.

The newly promoted Distinguished Professors come from various disciplines across campus, including the School of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Anderson School of Management, School of Engineering, and College of Arts and Sciences. The research conducted by these faculty members highlights the high levels of research activity at UNM, which holds an R1 designation from the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. UNM is the only university in New Mexico with this designation.

Among those promoted are Matthew Campen, PhD, MSPH, from the College of Pharmacy; Cameron Crandall, MD, from the School of Medicine; and Elaine Bearer, MD, PhD, MA, also from the School of Medicine. They join Tobias Fischer, PhD; Mala Htun, PhD; Tiffany Lee, PhD; Gabriel Lopez, PhD; Xin (Robert) Luo, PhD; and Robert Miller, PhD.

“Congratulations to our colleagues on their well-deserved promotions to Distinguished Professor,” said Doug Ziedonis, MD, MPH, Executive Vice President for UNM Health Sciences & CEO of UNM’s Health System. "This prestigious rank is a testament to their exceptional contributions to health science research. Their groundbreaking work and dedication have advanced their respective fields and elevated UNM’s global reputation."

Elaine Bearer is a brain scientist and practicing physician whose work combines molecular pathology with novel imaging techniques to understand cognitive impairment and dementia. Her work has received continuous NIH R01 support for over 25 years.

Matthew Campen's research focuses on environmental toxicology and the effects of inhaled pollutants on respiratory and cardiovascular systems. His work has been supported by $26.9 million in NIH funding.

Cameron Crandall specializes in emergency medicine with research addressing firearm trauma, injury prevention, resuscitation practices among other topics. He has mentored over 85 residents and fellows in addition to medical students and junior faculty.

Tobias Fischer studies volcanic gases' connections with geological cycles. His findings include linkages between gas fluxes and volcanic eruptions.

Mala Htun focuses on political rights with particular attention to gender policies across countries.

Tiffany Lee researches Indigenous education and language revitalization among Diné communities.

Gabriel Lopez works on biomaterials creation for biomedical applications supported by approximately $50 million in funding.

Xin (Robert) Luo specializes in information security with extensive publications in top business journals.

Robert Miller's comparative immunology work includes significant discoveries about immune system evolution in mammals like marsupials.

James Holloway expressed pride in this year's distinguished professors: “From transforming patient care...to revitalizing critical languages...our distinguished professors are changing our understanding.”