Nominations will only be accepted from collegiate deans. Complete nominations must be submitted via a dedicated Qualtrics form: UI Distinguished Chair nomination, by end of day on February 1, 2027; no extensions will be provided. Required materials may be submitted as individual documents or a single combined bookmarked PDF.

Completed nominations must include: 

From the nominee (submitted to the collegiate dean):

• Current CV
• A statement of no more than two pages describing the nominee’s contributions to the field and how their research, teaching, and/or scholarship has contributed to the institution, the State and the discipline.
• Three examples of scholarly products.

From the collegiate dean: 

• A nomination letter from the collegiate dean highlighting the nominee’s qualifications and describing the candidate’s scholarship, teaching, and/or service excellence and evidence of the potential for continued extraordinary productivity.
• Three letters of support from faculty who are familiar with the candidate’s contributions are to be solicited by the dean. One letter must be external to the university (The nominee may provide names and contact information of three to five faculty, both internal and external, who can provide letters of support). The letter should include the following:
  • A brief explanation of the professional relationship to the nominee.
  • Evidence of the quality of the candidate’s work and impact on the field.
  • Evidence of the candidate’s substantial recognition nationally and internationally among their peers. 

Nominations will be reviewed by the University Chair committee, which is composed of three tenured full professors, the president of Faculty Senate or their designee, and the associate provost for faculty. The selection committee will recommend awardees to the executive vice president and provost for final approval. 

Professor Colin Gordon named 2026 University of Iowa Distinguished Chair.

Colin Gordon, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Gordon is a nationally recognized historian of American public policy and political economy whose research has helped reshape the field. Beyond his scholarship, he actively engages public audiences and is deeply committed to student learning.

During his more than 30 years at Iowa, Gordon has become nationally and internationally recognized for his work on how public policy has shaped American cities and suburbs. He is the author of five major books — including Mapping Decline, Citizen Brown, and Patchwork Apartheid — which combine archival research, data analysis, and mapping technology, to examine housing policy, local government decisions, and economic change. His work has deepened the understanding of urban development, racial segregation, and regional inequality. His research has been supported by awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation.

Gordon also is recognized for connecting historical research with today’s policy conversations. He has analyzed economic and social conditions in Iowa, advised statewide policy organizations, and served as an expert in major legal cases. His digital humanities projects — many created with students — make complex historical data accessible to policymakers, educators, and community members. In the classroom, his students conduct original research on community history, urban development, and public policy.