2026 Chemistry & Biochemistry Chair Installations Celebration

Chairholders and donors at the 2026 Chemistry & Biochemistry Chair Installations Celebration

On an evening dedicated to both celebration and vision, the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry community gathered at UCLA’s Carnesale Commons on February 17, 2026, to mark the installation of 13 endowed chairs, an achievement that reflects both the strength of the department and the generosity of the community that sustains it.

Endowed chairs are among the most impactful and enduring investments, providing stable support for innovative research, mentorship, and the training of future scientists while shaping the academic experience for students at all levels.

The donors in attendance whose gifts established endowed chairs included Professor Michael Jung and his wife, Alice Jung; Professor Charles Knobler; and Professor Jeffrey Zink and his wife, Helo Zink. Family members of the late John P. McTague, whose gifts established the McTague and Reiss Chairs, were also recognized, including his daughters, Cathy Bregenzer and Margaret McCreary, and his son, Kevin McTague.

UCLA leaders in attendance included Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt; Senior Dean of the UCLA College and Dean of the Division of Physical Sciences Miguel García-Garibay; Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Personnel Michael Levine; Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Erin Sanders O’Leary; and former Vice Provost, Dean, and Professor Emerita Robin Garrell.

  • Charles Knobler and Sarah Tolbert (Knobler Chairholder).
  • Chair’s Council members and 2023 Alumni Legacy Awards recipients, Karen and Bill
    Timberlake, with Dean Miguel García-Garibay.
  • Neil Garg with Chair’s Council members Walter and Priscilla Kasha.
  • Family members of the late John P. McTague, whose gifts established the McTague and Reiss Chairs, from left
    daughters Cathy Bregenzer and Margaret McCreary and son Kevin McTague with Victoria Barber (McTague Chairholder)
    and Prineha Narang (Reiss Chairholder).
  • Michael Jung, Alice Jung, and Stuart Conway (Jung Chairholder).
  • Yi Tang with Chair’s Council member Michael Gresser and his guest, Ada Chiang.
  • Jeffrey Zink and Matthew Nava (Zink Chairholder) and Helo Zink.
  • Osvaldo Gutierrez (Stoddart Chairholder) poses with his award with Antonio Tinoco
    Valencia and members of his lab, Achyut Gogoi and Ángel Rentería-Gómez.
  • Researcher Maher El-Kady, VC Michael Levine, and Richard Kaner.
  • VP Erin O’Leary and EVCP Darnell Hunt at the reception prior to the ceremony.

The following chairholders were honored at the event:

Anastassia Alexandrova (inaugural holder) – Charles W. Clifford Junior Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry
Soumitra Athavale – John D. and Edith M. Roberts Term Chair in Organic Chemistry
Victoria Barber – John P. McTague Career Development Chair
Stuart Conway (inaugural holder) – Michael and Alice Jung Endowed Chair in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery
Abigail Doyle – Saul Winstein Chair in Organic Chemistry
Xiangfeng Duan – Raymond A. and Dorothy A. Wilson Endowed Term Chair
Osvaldo Gutiérrez (inaugural holder) – Fraser and Norma Stoddart Chair in Contemporary Chemistry
Michael Jung (inaugural holder) – Walter and Shirley Wang Endowed Chair in Medicinal Drug Discovery
Kalli Kappel – Linda and Fred Wudl Term Chair
Michael Lawson – Randy Schekman and Sabeeha Merchant Centennial Term Chair
Prineha Narang – Howard Reiss Career Development Chair
Matthew Nava – Jeffrey and Helo Zink Endowed Professional Development Term Chair in Chemistry
Sarah Tolbert (inaugural holder) – Charles and Carolyn Knobler Endowed Term Chair

Read more about the event, the chairs, and the chairholders: bit.ly/2026ChemistryBiochemistryChairInstallationsCelebration.