2025-2026 Career Development Professorship Awardees
From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Each year, Boston University awards Career Development Professorships to several talented early career faculty members emerging as future leaders in their chosen field of study.
This year’s awards are made possible through the generosity of BU Trustee Nathaniel Dalton (LAW’91) and his wife Amy Gottlieb Dalton (LAW’91); Trustee Ruth Moorman (CAS’88, Wheelock’89,’09) and her husband Sheldon Simon; former Trustee Peter Levine (ENG’83); and the estates of Isabel and Larz Anderson and Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine alumnus Ralph Edwards (CAMED’52).
The professorships include a three-year, non-renewable research award designed to support research, scholarship, and creative work. In addition, a portion of the recipient’s salary is covered by the award, with funds directed to the recipients’ schools to offset costs. Nominations are submitted by the academic deans, and awardees are selected by the Office of the Provost on an annual basis, this year with input from a committee of William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professors.
I am delighted to announce this year’s Career Development Professorships and their awardees.
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The Cecile K. Dalton Career Development Professorship supports faculty members in areas with the greatest potential for impact in STEM, computing, or data sciences.
- Hongwan Liu, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts & Sciences, addresses fundamental questions at the intersection of cosmology, astro-particle physics, and high-energy physics, developing computational strategies to analyze large data sets that provide insights into the universe.
The Moorman-Simon Interdisciplinary Career Development Professorship recognizes faculty who are conducting truly interdisciplinary work and either hold or have the potential to hold appointments in multiple schools and colleges at BU.
- Deepti Ghadiyaram, assistant professor of computer science in the College of Arts & Sciences, is developing language modeling and artificial intelligence (AI) systems for sign language recognition in collaboration with faculty from across the Charles River and Medical Campuses.
- Sophie Hao, assistant professor of linguistics and computer science in the College of Arts & Sciences, applies theoretical and empirical methods from linguistics, computer science, cognitive science, and philosophy to analyze, evaluate, and explain the linguistic capabilities and limitations of language learning models.
- Morgan Weiland, assistant professor of communication law in the College of Communication, draws on methodologies from sciences and technology studies, communication and media studies, and legal analysis to describe the social construction of technology law, tracing the process by which various actors transformed the internet into a speech system protected by the First Amendment.
The Ralph Edwards Career Development Professorship focuses on faculty within the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
- Travis Rotterman, assistant professor of pharmacology, physiology, and biophysics in the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, uses models of nerve and spinal cord injuries to understand the implications of neurological damage on sensory processing and motor output, broadening our understanding of diseases, injuries, and severe neurological disorders.
The Peter J. Levine Career Development Professorship supports rising faculty in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
- Wei-Lun (Harry) Chao, assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering in the College of Engineering, conducts research spanning the fields of machine learning, computer vision, autonomous driving, and healthcare AI, addressing fundamental challenges at the intersection of machine learning and real-world applications.
The Isabel Anderson Career Development Professorship supports the scholarship of a faculty member in the Questrom School of Business.
- Emma Wiles, assistant professor of information systems in the Questrom School of Business, researches the effects of artificial intelligence on labor markets and online employment platforms, delving into the ways in which AI is changing the way we apply, hire, and compensate people for their work in a changing market.
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You can read more about these outstanding faculty in BU Today. Please join me in congratulating them with the award of this year’s Career Development Professorships. We look forward to celebrating their further accomplishments in the years to come.
2025-2026 Career Development Professorship Awardees – 10.07.25