ANN ARBOR—
University of Michigan Regents, at their May 20-21 meeting, approved the following appointments to endowed and titled professorships.
Pallab K. Bhattacharya, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, will hold the James R. Mellor Professorship of Engineering, effective Sept. 1.
Moshe D. Herr will hold the Jean and Samuel Frankel Professorship of Rabbinic Literature for the academic year 1999-2000, and he will also hold the title of visiting professor.
James R. Tapia, assistant professor of music (conducting and music education), will hold the Donald R. Shepherd Chair in Conducting, effective Sept. 1.
Bhattacharya has been “a central force in leading the College of Engineering to its position as a world-class center of excellence in III-IV semiconductor research and microelectronics,” said Stephen W. Director, dean of the College of Engineering. “In collaboration with other members of the applied physics group, Prof. Bhattacharya has established Michigan as one of the top institutions in molecular beam epitaxy research. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to thin film electronic materials and high-speech devices.”
Herr will teach courses in the Center for Judaic Studies and Department of Near Eastern Studies, said Patricia Gurin, interim dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. “He is an internationally recognized scholar and teacher and a superb public lecturer.” He began his career at Hebrew University, and after instructor appointments in Talmud at Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, and Hebrew University, was promoted to professor in Jewish history in 1991.
Tapia, who joined the U-M faculty in 1997, has recently been designated as director of the Michigan Marching Band. “In the two years he has served at Michigan, he has met every challenge in a variety of assignments,” said Paul C. Boylan, dean of the School of Music. “He has won respect, admiration, and loyalty from his University colleagues and his students. He has become known and admired in the public school music education community in our state and region. Most important, he has proven to be a musician and teacher of the highest caliber.”

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