nthony Ephremides knows
firsthand the impact an endowed chair can have in recruiting top faculty.
“It provides stability against fluctuations in external funding and offers tremendous discretionary support for things not funded by grants,” says Ephremides, the Cynthia Kim Eminent Professor of Information Technology at the A. James Clark School of Engineering. A chair lends a level of prestige that enables the university “to attract a truly exceptional person.”
In the interest of creating an opportunity both for someone else and for Maryland, Ephremides committed $1.5 million to establish the Anthony Ephremides Chair in Information Sciences and Systems &mdash an endowed fund to support a faculty member working on theoretical and practical aspects of the processes of telecommunications.
“I had a desire to give back because I’ve been given a lot over the course of my career at the university,” he says.
In his more than 30 years at Maryland, Ephremides has played a major role in developing the technologies behind the wireless communication systems and networks we depend on today. He has seen the electrical and computer engineering department transform into a highly ranked academic powerhouse. The future of this dynamic field depends on continuing innovations by top-notch researchers.
Ephremides says he looks forward to the school attracting a researcher who will contribute to the growing strength of the department.
“This is a very healthy, evolving field, and we want Maryland to continue to play a significant role in communication advances for the foreseeable future,” he says.
