Two CLAS professors receive Distinguished Professor awards
Thomas Bianchi and Neil Sullivan were recognized for their excellence in teaching and research.
Two professors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have been named Distinguished Professors, among the most prestigious honors awarded by the University of Florida each year to faculty for career achievements in teaching, research, and publication.
The newest Distinguished Professors in CLAS are Thomas Bianchi, the Jon L. and Beverly A. Thomas Endowed Chair of Geological Sciences, and Neil Sullivan, a professor in physics who is former dean of the college.
Thomas Bianchi
Bianchi began his work at UF in 2013, joining the Department of Geological Sciences as a professor, and the Department of Biology as an affiliate faculty member. At that time, Bianchi already had nearly 30 years of experience as a professor and researcher, teaching at colleges like the University of Maryland, Tulane University, and Texas A&M before moving to Gainesville.
Bianchi is a seasoned researcher, having led or assisted with 283 published research papers and 10 books covering topics in organic geochemistry and biogeochemical dynamics of aquatic systems, his main research interests.
Bianchi said he considers being named Distinguished Professor to be one of the more significant milestones of his career.
“This honor motivates me to continue striving for excellence and contributing positively to many of the challenges we face in climate change research,” he said. “I also felt immense gratitude towards my wife, Jo Ann, and my son, Christopher, for their unwavering support over the years, especially through some challenging times.”
Neil Sullivan
Sullivan has served in many roles since first arriving at UF in 1983. He began as a professor of physics, and within six years became the chair of the Department of Physics. He held that role until he was appointed interim dean of CLAS in 2000, transitioning to dean in 2001. He held the highest position in the college until 2006.
Like Bianchi, Sullivan has had a prolific research career in addition to teaching and college administration. He has conducted hundreds of studies throughout his 40-year career, with his primary area of research being magnetic resonance studies of quantum solids and liquids, and quantum diffusion. He has also worked on developing experiments to detect axions, a prime candidate for the makeup of the dark matter in the universe.
“Most of my research has involved collaborative efforts with many people participating in different aspects of the projects, and this recognition is more for the team effort and bringing people together than anything else. The work to develop the new National High Magnetic Field Laboratory for the state of Florida is one example of the work of so many who envisaged the facility.”
