Indiana University celebrated the appointment of 15 faculty members as distinguished professors during virtual symposia starting Oct. 21. Distinguished professor is the highest academic title for IU's most outstanding and renowned scholars and researchers. This is the largest number of new distinguished professors to be appointed in the university's history.

The record number is being recognized in honor of IU's Bicentennial Year and to highlight the remarkable research, scholarship and creative accomplishments of IU's past and present faculty as well as their public impact over the past 200 years.

Below are brief biographies of the appointees:

Ann Elsner

Ann Elsner is a professor in the School of Optometry. Her research led to the discovery that infrared light can image the retina, and she has studied a range of retinal pathologies with a focus on diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and normal aging of the eye.

Mark Messier

Mark Messier is a Rudy Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Physics. His research focuses on the experimental study of neutrinos, which are among the most abundant particles in the universe. He is a member of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, which is made up of more than 1,000 collaborators from 190 institutions in over 30 countries. DUNE advances work in each of the key areas of physics research.

Osamu James Nakagawa

Osamu James Nakagawa is the Ruth N. Halls Professor and professor of photography and studio art in the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. His photography has been published, reviewed and exhibited internationally. He has permanent collections on display at several museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.

David Williams

David Williams is the Harry G. Day Chair and Professor of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Chemistry. He is an internationally recognized scientist in the field of organic chemistry. His research is focused on the synthesis of biologically active natural products and the development of new reaction methods. He serves on a number of advisory boards, including for the NI H. Williams is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.