Florida Tech’s Nasri Nesnas Earns Prestigious Edward H. Kalajian Professorship Honor

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Tech Chemistry professor Nasri Nesnas, a 22-year faculty member at Florida Tech, has been named the Edward H. Kalajian Professor. Nesnas conducts cutting-edge research into the use of light-responsive molecules for brain mapping and novel approaches to fighting cancer.

The Edward H. Kalajian Endowed Professorship was established in 2017 when the decorated civil engineering professor Edward H. Kalajian retired after 46 years as a devoted faculty member and administrator at Florida Tech. Gifts from his family, friends, colleagues and former students launched the endowment.

“Being a part of Florida Tech history in perpetuity is both humbling and inspiring,” Kalajian told the university when the endowment was announced. “I am honored to continue to encourage and challenge the next generation of scholars.”

Nesnas said he is honored to be the second Kalajian Professor at Florida Tech.

“I have always admired Professor Kalajian’s passion and enthusiasm, especially his impact on students’ success and the growth of our institution,” he said. “To follow in the footsteps of the first recipient, Professor Paul Cosentino, is also a humbling experience, as he has made numerous contributions towards students’ educational experiences.

“I am extremely grateful to Professor Kalajian, the Kalajian family, and all contributors to this endowment,” Nesnas continued.

Cosentino is a distinguished civil engineering professor like Kalajian, his mentor. Cosentino noted that Kalajian established Florida Tech’s civil engineering department in 1978 (after he established the university’s ocean engineering program) and taught every civil engineering student to come through the university until his retirement more than four decades later.

“Neither Nasri nor I have made this type of impact,” Cosentino said. “We are both so honored to be called Edward H. Kalajian Professors.”

The goal behind his namesake professorship was to recognize Florida Tech faculty who are enhancing the education of students with excellence in teaching and graduate and undergraduate advising and have a demonstrated record of involvement in student activities and projects, Kalajian said. It also allowed Kalajian’s family to continue to recognize his contributions to Florida Tech.

The awardee, who receives an annual salary enhancement of 5% of the available endowment funds, is selected by a Faculty Senate committee made up of peers from the College of Science and Engineering. To ensure multiple faculty members are recognized, a new Kalajian Professor is named every five years.

“I am personally grateful to the Faculty Senate members who have served on the selection committee,” Kalajian said recently. “They have chosen two outstanding awardees for the Kalajian Professorship.”

Nesnas will serve in that capacity until June 2029.

An accomplished chemist, Nesnas has received research funding from an array of national government and private sources including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, NASA and Intel. He has also impacted numerous lives from the classroom and lab.

“It has been most rewarding for my career to teach thousands of students over the past 22 years and interact closely with over one hundred students through career and research advising,” Nesnas said.

As Nesnas’ selection indicates, the Kalajian Professorship is not limited to engineers. That is by design.

“It was created to include science, as I personally recognized the enhancement of my own undergraduate engineering education due to the science courses,” Kalajian said. “Yes, I wish I could have included other disciplines, such as humanities and business. However, I hoped that this model chosen may be adopted by retiring faculty in other colleges and that we might someday see similar ‘professorships’ in all colleges at Florida Tech.”

It was also important to include the requirement that recipients get involved with student activities. Kalajian certainly understood the value of student engagement in and out of the classroom. He was essential in establishing the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) student chapter and the national concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions. He assisted Ashok Pandit in founding the Florida Tech chapter of the Civil Engineering Honor Society Chi Epsilon, as well.

Nesnas is inclusive and supportive of his students, encouraging them to present at conferences and enlisting them in his research. He recently took six undergraduate and graduate students to the National American Chemical Society Conference in New Orleans, where they had the opportunity to present research and learn from leading experts at top institutions about the latest discoveries in research.

“Meeting some of these researchers also led to establishing new collaborations and opportunities for students to pursue internships and graduate degrees,” Nesnas added.

He has been previously recognized for his success in his field and the classroom.

Last year, Nesnas was named Outstanding Chemist by the American Chemical Society, Orlando section. Criteria for this award include strong research, department, and university leadership, mentoring colleagues, public outreach and furthering chemistry with publications, peer recognition, and more. He also received the Kerry Bruce Clark Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching in 2016-17, one of the university’s highest honors.

Kalajian said he is excited to have such worthy recipients as the first two Kalajian Professors and thanks those who have supported the endowment. He hopes the support will continue.

“I am grateful to my family, friends graduates, and colleagues who have made financial donations to the endowment that funds the Kalajian Professorship,” he said. “I hope donations will continue to the endowment. I plan to continue my donations.”

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