Speed School Establishes Two New Endowed Chairs in Sustainability and Cybersecurity

By Michael Phillips

The J.B. Speed School of Engineering has announced the establishment of two new Endowed Chair positions, one in Energy and Sustainability and one in Cybersecurity, made possible through a transformative $2.0 million gift from Speed School alum Dean Springer (’64, BChe). The chairs will advance research and graduate education in two high-demand fields and honor two esteemed former faculty leaders whose legacies helped shape the school. 

The Charles A. Plank Endowed Chair in Energy and Sustainability will reside in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Plank, a respected professor and former department chair, served Speed School for 36 years, from 1957 to 1993. The new chair will focus on research in renewable energy, advanced materials, and sustainable engineering practices. 

“Charlie Plank was a well-respected instructor within the chemical engineering department,” said Dr. Gerold Willing, Chemical Engineering Chair. “He served as department chair as well, and because of his outstanding service to Speed School, we decided to position the Plank endowed chair in the chemical engineering department.” 

The Earl Gerhard Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity honors the former Dean, Department Chair, and Faculty member who served Speed School for 39 years, from 1951 to 1990. Dr. Gerhard directed the modernization of the engineering curriculum and was instrumental in launching programs that expanded the Speed School’s academic reach. 

“Earl Gerhart was an esteemed faculty member in chemical engineering. He accepted the chair position and eventually became Dean of the Speed School,” Dr. Willing shared. “He had a broader vision for the future of Speed School – having his name on the endowed chair of cybersecurity makes a lot of sense.” 

Both positions are also supported through Kentucky’s Bucks for Brains program – an initiative that provides matching funds and strengthens university research and talent recruitment efforts to support statewide economic growth.  

“The goal of the program from the state perspective is to attract top-tier researchers to drive our research mission and further Intellectual Property (IP) development,” Willing explained. “A central objective is to make sure that the university is an economic engine to develop startups, create new jobs, and attract new industries to the state.” 

Additionally, Willing emphasized that the endowed positions will elevate Speed School’s research impact while meeting real industry needs in Kentucky and beyond. 

“The Plank endowed chair in sustainability will facilitate the recruitment of an individual with a strong focus on and experience in sustainability who will be able to drive our sustainability research,” he said. He added that the chair will serve as a “linchpin in creating larger research efforts and going after larger, more consequential research proposals.” 

Separately, the Gerhard Chair will take a unique approach to cybersecurity concentrating on the intersection of engineering, infrastructure, and industrial systems. 

“When people think about cybersecurity, they may not see the immediate connection to chemical engineering,” Dr. Willing said. “A large focus of the field, however, is on the power infrastructure in the United States and power plants. Cybersecurity researchers and practitioners indeed focus on the chemical plants within the US and the cybersecurity surrounding those plants.” He noted the direct relevance to Kentucky industries including distilleries, chemical manufacturing, metals processing, and energy infrastructure. 

For donor Dean Springer, supporting these endowed chairs was both a tribute and a way to invest in the future of Speed School research. 

“The education I received from Speed School and its co-op program facilitated my transition to and enhanced my work career,” Springer said. “I am pleased to be able to give back and honor the excellence and legacy of my (and everyone’s) favorite chemical engineering professors, Dr. Gerhard and Dr. Plank.” 

Springer, who had long planned a legacy gift, shared, “My successful investments in recent years (and the passing of my son from COVID 4 years ago) have enabled me to fund an endowment while still alive. I will be making another significant donation toward the full endowment later this year.” 

“We’ve been working with Dean Springer for about six or seven years, and he’s been a key supporter of the department,” Willing shared. “As we look at where we want to go for the next 10, 15, 20 years, we look to bring in more researchers and innovators who can facilitate reclaiming our crown at the forefront of research.”