Five Kansas University faculty members have been named distinguished professors, the university announced Thursday.

The new distinguished professors are Alice Bean in the department of physics and astronomy, Monica Biernat in the department of psychology, Chuck Epp in the School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rodolfo Torres in the department of mathematics, and Steve Warren in the department of speech, language and hearing: sciences and disorders.

The appointments, made by interim provost Sara Rosen, will be effective with the start of the fall semester.

“These prominent faculty members have made major contributions to their field of research while also inspiring undergraduate and graduate students to pursue new levels of learning and discovery,” Rosen said in a KU news release. “Their achievements at KU are testimony to the power of higher education to transform lives and build better communities.”