Five Women Named University Distinguished Professors at Michigan State University

Lalita Udpa is a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering. She is also a member of the Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory.

Dr. Udpa holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in physics both from the University of Poona in India, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. both in electrical engineering from Colorado State University.

Ann Austin currently serves as a professor and associate dean for research in the department of higher, adult, and lifelong education in the College of Education. She also serves as assistant provost for faculty development-academic career paths.

Dr. Austin is a magna cum laude graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where she majored in history. She holds a master’s degree in higher/postsecondary education from Syracuse University in New York, a master’s degree in American culture from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Michigan.

Robin Buell is a Foundation Endowed Professor in the department of plant biology in the College of Natural Science and director of the Plant Resilience Institute. She has been a faculty member at the university since 2007.

Dr. Buell is a graduate of the University of Maryland. She holds a master’s degree from Washington State University and a Ph.D. from Utah State University.

Christina Chan currently holds a joint appointment as a professor in the department of chemical engineering and materials science in the College  of Engineering and in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Natural Science. She is also a member of the Institute for Quantitative  Health Science and Engineering.

Dr. Chan holds three degrees in chemical engineering: a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. both from the University of Pennsylvania.

Megan Donahue is a professor in the department of physics and astronomy in the College of Natural Science. She has been a faculty member at the university since 2003. She is the co-author of the textbook The Cosmic Perspective (Pearson Publishing, 8th edition, 2016).

Dr. Donahue is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she majored in physics. She holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Colorado.