Tucson Standard

The Arizona Board of Regents recently confirmed the appointments of Janko Nikolich, Jiang Wu, and Dennis Zaritsky as Regents Professors at the University of Arizona. This rank is the highest faculty level at the university, awarded to full professors recognized for their exceptional achievements and contributions on both national and international stages. According to university policy, this prestigious title is limited to no more than 3% of tenured and tenure-track faculty members.

Janko Nikolich, the Bowman Professor and Head of the Department of Immunobiology in the College of Medicine – Tucson, is acclaimed for his work in immunobiology and aging. His research has led to significant advancements in the understanding of the immune system's evolution over time, focusing on strengthening immunity in older adults. "Nikolich's work has been supported by more than $105 million in grant funding," as stated in the announcement. His contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic included developing a blood test to monitor exposure and immunity and founding the U of A Health Sciences Aegis Consortium. Nikolich was elected an International Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 2024.

Jiang Wu holds a professorship in the Department of East Asian Studies in the College of Humanities, specializing in Chinese and East Asian Buddhism. His extensive work includes books like "Leaving for the Rising Sun," which earned the Tianzhu Book Prize. Wu was honored with a John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in 2023 to support his examination of the Obaku Buddhist Canon. Wu has also garnered recognition, receiving a Certificate of Congressional Recognition and the City of Rosemead, California, Award of Recognition. Wu serves as the director of the Center for Buddhist Studies.

Dennis Zaritsky, a professor in the Department of Astronomy in the College of Science, focuses on galaxy structure and evolution. His research on using dwarf galaxies to map dark matter distribution and his co-authored paper "A Direct Empirical Proof of the Existence of Dark Matter" highlight his accomplishments. Zaritsky has been recognized with several awards, including the 2024 Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize and a 2006 John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. He is the deputy director of the Steward Observatory and completed a term as chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope Science Advisory Council.