University Distinguished Professors
The title of University Distinguished Professor, or UDP, is a lifetime title that represents the highest honor Kansas State University can bestow on its faculty, an award that recognizes those making outstanding contributions to teaching, research and service to their professions and communities.
University Distinguished Professors are appointed following a universitywide competition held by the Provost.
Roster of University Distinguished Professors
2021-2024
| Name | Department | Year |
| Traci Brimhall | English | 2024 |
| Yoonseong Park | Entomology | 2024 |
| James Stack | Plant Pathology | 2024 |
| Allen Featherstone | Agricultural Economics | 2023 |
| Ari Jumpponen | Biology | 2023 |
| Jun Li | Chemistry | 2023 |
| Jesse Nippert | Biology | 2023 |
| Caterina Scoglio | Electrical and Computer Engineering | 2023 |
| Hans Coetzee | Anatomy and Physiology | 2022 |
| Roman Ganta | Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology | 2022 (Emeritus) |
| Brian Geisbrecht | Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics | 2022 |
| Robert Goodband | Animal Sciences and Industry | 2022 |
| Eduard Akhunov | Plant Pathology | 2021 |
| David Yetter | Mathematics | 2021 |
2016-2020
| Name | Department | Year |
| Christine Aikens | Chemistry | 2020 |
| Thomas Barstow | Kinesiology | 2020 |
| Stefan Bossmann | Chemistry | 2019 (Emeritus) |
| Keith Gido | Biology | 2019 |
| Kimberly Kirkpatrick | Psychological Sciences | 2019 (Emeritus) |
| C. Michael Smith | Entomology | 2019 (Emeritus) |
| Uwe Thumm | Physics | 2019 |
| Mary Beth Kirkham | Agronomy | 2018 |
| David Poole | Kinesiology, and Anatomy and Physiology | 2018 |
| James Sherow | History | 2018 (Emeritus) |
| Phillip Klebba | Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics | 2017 |
| Timothy Musch | Kinesiology and Anatomy and Physiology | 2017 |
| Anil Pahwa | Electrical and Computer Engineering | 2017 |
| Yan Soibelman | Mathematics | 2017 |
| Kun Yan Zhu | Entomology | 2017 |
| Vara Prasad | Agronomy | 2016 |
| Bharat Ratra | Physics | 2016 |
2011-2015
| Name | Department | Year |
| Wayne Goins | School of Music, Theatre, and Dance | 2015 |
| Douglas McGregor | Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering | 2015 |
| Sandra Stith | Family Studies and Human Services | 2014 (Emeritus) |
| Bhadriraju Subramanyam | Grain Science and Industry | 2014 |
| Yolanda Broyles-González | American Ethnic Studies | 2013 |
| James Edgar | Chemical Engineering | 2013 |
| Stephen Higgs | Biosecurity Research Institute | 2013 |
| Ryszard Jankowiak | Chemistry | 2013 (Emeritus) |
| Nancy Monteiro-Riviere | Anatomy and Physiology | 2013 (Emeritus) |
| Philip Nel | English | 2013 |
| Jim Riviere | Anatomy and Physiology | 2013 (Emeritus) |
| Mike Tokach | Animal Sciences Industry | 2013 |
| Christer Aakeroy | Chemistry | 2012 |
| Itzik Ben-Itzhak | Physics | 2012 |
| Susan Brown | Biology | 2012 |
| Ruth Welti | Biology | 2012 |
| Michael Dryden | Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology | 2011 (Emeritus) |
| Brett Esry | Physics | 2011 |
| John Hatcliff | Computing and Information Sciences | 2011 |
| John Leslie | Plant Pathology | 2011 |
| Xiuzhi (Susan) Sun | Grain Science and Industry | 2011 |
2006-2010
| Name | Department | Year |
| Elizabeth Dodd | English | 2010 |
| Anthony Joern | Biology | 2010 (Emeritus) |
| Walter K. Dodds | Biology | 2009 |
| Charles W. Rice | Agronomy | 2009 |
| Edgar Chambers IV | Human Nutrition | 2008 |
| T.G. Nagaraja | Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology | 2008 |
| Juergen A. Richt | Regents Distinguished Professor of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology | 2008 |
| Philine Wangemann | Anatomy and Physiology | 2008 (Emeritus) |
| Dale Herspring | Political Science | 2007 (Emeritus) |
| Duy Hua | Chemistry | 2007 (Emeritus) |
| Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan | Biochemistry | 2007 (Emeritus) |
| John M. Blair | Biology | 2006 |
| Daniel Marcus | Anatomy and Physiology | 2006 (Emeritus) |
| Richard A. Marston | Geography | 2006 (Emeritus) |
2001-2005
| Name | Department | Year |
| Michael R. Kanost | Biochemistry | 2005 |
| Harald E.L Prins | Anthropology | 2005 (Emeritus) |
| James Shanteau | Psychology | 2005 (Emeritus) |
| David C. Hartnett | Biology | 2004 (Emeritus) |
| Yoshiro Ikeda | Art | 2004 (Deceased) |
| Ted Schroeder | Agricultural Economics | 2004 |
| M.M. Chengappa | Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology | 2003 |
| Robert D. Linder | History | 2003 (Deceased) |
| David A. Schmidt | Computing and Information Sciences | 2003 (Emeritus) |
| S. Lillian Kremer | English | 2002 (Deceased) |
| Thomas E. Roche | Biochemistry | 2002 (Emeritus) |
| Barbara Valent | Plant Pathology | 2002 |
| Frank Blecha | Anatomy and Physiology | 2001 |
| David Littrell | Music | 2001 (Emeritus) |
| Talat Rahman | Physics | 2001 (Emeritus) |
| Larry Takemoto | Biology | 2001 (Emeritus) |
| Dean Zollman | Physics | 2001 (Emeritus) |
1996-2000
| Name | Department | Year |
| Rob Denell | Biology | 2000 (Deceased) |
| Christopher M. Sorensen | Physics | 2000 (Emeritus) |
| Brian S. Spooner | Biology | 1999 (Deceased) |
| E. Wayne Nafziger | Economics | 1999 (Deceased) |
| C. Lewis Cocke | Physics | 1998 (Emeritus) |
| Gary W. Conrad | Biology | 1998 (Deceased) |
| Bikram S. Gill | Plant Pathology | 1997 (Emeritus) |
| Peter M.A. Sherwood | Chemistry | 1997 (Emeritus) |
Before 1995
| Name | Department | Year |
| John J. Iandolo | Pathology and Microbiology | 1994 (Emeritus) |
| James L. Marsden | Regents Distinguished Professor of Animal Sciences | 1994 (Emeritus) |
| Neville W. (Bill) Reay | Physics | 1993 (Emeritus) |
| Chii-Dong Lin | Physics | 1990 |
| Michael W. Suleiman | Political Science | 1990 (Deceased) |
| William Fateley | Chemistry | 1989 (Deceased) |
| Norman J. Fedder | Speech Communications, Theatre and Dance | 1989 (Emeritus) |
| Terry C. Johnson | Biology | 1989 (Deceased) |
| Jonathan Holden | English | 1988 (Emeritus) |
| Kenneth Klabunde | Chemistry | 1988 (Deceased) |
| Patrick Richard | Cortelyou-Rust Distinguished Professor of Physics | 1988 (Emeritus) |
| Sadahiro Saeki | Mathematics | 1988 (Emeritus) |
| L.T. Fan | Chemical Engineering | 1987 (Deceased) |
| David Leith | Regents Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pathology | 1987 (Emeritus) |
| Donald Setser | Chemistry | 1987 (Emeritus) |
| Richard Consigli | Biology | 1985 (Deceased) |
| Kenneth Hoyt | Education | 1984 (Deceased) |
| Ernest E. Shult | Regents Distinguished Professor of Mathematics | 1974 (Deceased) |
| Dudley Williams | Regents Distinguished Professor of Physics | 1964 (Deceased) |
Honorary University Distinguished Professors
| Name | Department | Year |
| James R. Coffman | Clinical Sciences | 2004 (Emeritus) |
| Timothy R. Donoghue | Physics | 2004 (Deceased) |