GOVERNMENT
NCSA's Donna Cox receives first Michael Aiken Endowed Chair
Donna J. Cox—professor of Art and Design, director of the Advanced Visualization Laboratory at NCSA, and director of the Digital Media Arts and Technology Initiative at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign—was invested as the University's first Michael Aiken Endowed Chair on March 6, 2008. 
The Aiken Chair was established in honor of former Chancellor Michael Aiken's devotion to enhancing the quality of teaching, research, and service across campus. The endowment comes in part from a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Campbell. During the investiture ceremony, campus officials noted Cox's stature in the field of digital art and scientific visualization and her long list of achievements. The data-driven animations produced by Cox and her team at NCSA have been featured in IMAX theaters, planetariums and museums, and television documentaries for NOVA and the Discovery Channel. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry recently selected her as one of 40 "modern day Leonard da Vincis" for her innovation in blending science and art by bringing together "Renaissance teams" of diverse, talented individuals. "The ideas that Donna will explore will expand our understanding of this complex and luminous world," Chancellor Richard Herman said. "She's one of the University's shining stars." "Donna Cox has been a leader in brining the arts to the center of our campus," said Robert B. Graves, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. "NCSA has a worldwide reputation in scientific visualization because of the work of Donna and her team," said NCSA Director Thom Dunning. "Probably nothing says more about Donna than the work she has produced." "I cannot think of anyone that is more outstanding than she is," said former Chancellor Aiken. Cox spoke with passion about her quest to share the excitement and innovation of science with a wide range of audiences. "We are making the invisible visible," she said.
The Aiken Chair was established in honor of former Chancellor Michael Aiken's devotion to enhancing the quality of teaching, research, and service across campus. The endowment comes in part from a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Campbell. During the investiture ceremony, campus officials noted Cox's stature in the field of digital art and scientific visualization and her long list of achievements. The data-driven animations produced by Cox and her team at NCSA have been featured in IMAX theaters, planetariums and museums, and television documentaries for NOVA and the Discovery Channel. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry recently selected her as one of 40 "modern day Leonard da Vincis" for her innovation in blending science and art by bringing together "Renaissance teams" of diverse, talented individuals. "The ideas that Donna will explore will expand our understanding of this complex and luminous world," Chancellor Richard Herman said. "She's one of the University's shining stars." "Donna Cox has been a leader in brining the arts to the center of our campus," said Robert B. Graves, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. "NCSA has a worldwide reputation in scientific visualization because of the work of Donna and her team," said NCSA Director Thom Dunning. "Probably nothing says more about Donna than the work she has produced." "I cannot think of anyone that is more outstanding than she is," said former Chancellor Aiken. Cox spoke with passion about her quest to share the excitement and innovation of science with a wide range of audiences. "We are making the invisible visible," she said.
