Two Trinity Science Professors Rise as Endowed Chairs

In 2004, Trinity University welcomed both chemistry professor Adam Urbach, Ph.D. and earth and environmental geosciences professor Kathleen Surpless, Ph.D., to campus. Now, 21 years later, the school is proud to announce both professors are rising to endowed positions in the D. R. Semmes School of Science.

Surpless has been named the Imogene and Harold Herndon Professor of Geology. She follows Diane Smith, Ph.D., the previous occupant, who retired this year. Urbach has been named the newly formed Semmes School of Science Distinguished Professor of Chemistry.

Both positions provide these two stars, and their students, incredible institutional resources for continued scholarship, research, and hands-on discovery, says professor David Ribble ’82, dean of the D. R. Semmes School of Science.

“Kathy and Adam have both had such outstanding research careers in the sciences, and I'm really happy that we can celebrate that with these appointments,” Ribble says. “Both have been very, very active in our STEM community, and these positions will continue them on that path.”

While Surpless and Urbach come with top-notch research credentials, both note that these professorships will empower the students collaborating with them, too. As distinguished professors, both will be granted additional funding for undergraduate research opportunities.

“It's a huge honor to be able to step into this position,” says Surpless, who’s excited to be able to give her students more hands-on opportunities with cutting-edge equipment and intensive field work. “The Trinity ‘special sauce’ is really getting students engaged in and out of the classroom and blurring those lines. This position allows me to focus more on that.”

Urbach notes that his newly created position demonstrates both Trinity’s commitment to science education in a unique liberal arts environment and the powerful network of support that’s fueling the University’s rise as a true destination for aspiring undergraduate researchers in the sciences.

“It is a great honor to be the inaugural Semmes School of Science Distinguished Professor. I am deeply grateful to the Semmes Foundation for their monumental gift, to my colleagues for their trust and confidence, and to Trinity for this exciting opportunity,” Urbach says. “The endowed position provides unrestricted funding that will allow my students and me to explore brand new research ideas each year, and it provides more time to devote to this endeavor.”

These professorships will strengthen Trinity’s unique position as a small, liberal arts school that also offers incredible STEM resources and programs.

“Since we’ve opened up the Center for the Sciences and Innovation, about half of incoming Trinity students have expressed interest in studying sciences,” Ribble says. “They're excited about going on to medical school, to graduate school, and they're interested in jobs in the industry. So, to provide them the best science education period, we offer them access to not only current, cutting-edge classes, equipment, and resources but also access to our faculty. Getting to do research with them gets students excited about this field beyond what's going on in the classroom.”

As Surpless thinks about the past two decades of her time at Trinity, she notes the significance of Trinity’s confidence in mainstays like Urbach and herself.

“To fill these positions, Trinity did not have to go outside campus to bring in people with recognition,” she says. “I think that says a lot about how much Trinity science has grown throughout the past two decades. That's a statement of long-term dedication to the sciences here, and that’s right in line with our new strategic plan, which focuses on experiential learning.”